Israeli President Admits Racism Against Black Jews

The comment comes after the police jailed and injured dozens of protesters. The Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Monday that protests staged by Ethiopian Israelis on Sunday evening, which ended with the arrest and injury of dozens of activists, were caused by racism. “Protesters in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv revealed an open and bloody wound in the heart of Israeli society. This is a wound of a community sounding the alarm at what they feel is discrimination, racism and disregard of their needs. We must take a good hard look at this wound,” explained Rivlin. The president's admission was made during a meeting with Israel's ultra-orthodox community. Rivlin added they had made a mistake by marginalizing Ethiopian descent citizens. Last Thursday, the Ethiopian Israeli community staged protests after videos emerged on social media portraying two police officers violently attacking an Israeli soldier of Ethiopian descent. The soldier in the video, Demas Fekadeh, received an award from former President Shimon Peres in recognition of his distinguished military service, and the Ramon Award for excellence and leadership in his high school studies.

Also on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, met with Fekadeh and confirmed him the policeman who beat him has now been fired. Sunday’s protest ended with 43 people arrested and several wounded. Despite the gestures by the Israeli government, activists have announced that protests are set to continue. There are around 120,000 Ethiopian Jews living in Israel.

Reuven Rivlin
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@PresidentRuvi

The protests by Israel's Ethiopian community revealed a wound in Israeli society. We are brothers & we mustn't slide to a place we'll regret
9:28 AM - 4 Mayo 2015


http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/Israeli-President-Admits-Racism-Against-Black-Jews-20150504-0029.html

It's been building and building in Israel and finally the Ethiopian Jews have had enough.