Middle East News
Israel police on alert as Jewish hardliners to march near Arab town
Mar 24, 2009, 6:44 GMT
Tel Aviv - Israeli police were on high alert Tuesday morning as a group of extreme right-wing Jewish activists was scheduled to march outside the largest Arab town in northern Israel.
Thousands of police were deployed at the entrances to Umm el-Fahm and on key roads.
The town's Arab-Israeli residents have condemned the march, during which the activists plan to wave Israeli flags. Residents have called it a provocation.
Israeli police have tried to prevent the event, postponing it several times in recent months, but the activists petitioned Israel's Supreme Court, which upheld their right to march.
One of the activists, Baruch Marzel, also demanded to head a polling station in Umm el-Fahm during Israel's February 10 elections. Police prevented him from reaching the town after Israel's Central Elections Committee refused to disqualify him because it feared setting a dangerous precedent by forbidding him to serve at the polling station.
Dozens of Arab Israelis gathered at the main entrance to Umm el-Fahm Tuesday ahead of the march, scheduled to start at 10 am (0800 GMT).
Police allocated a route for the march of about 800 metres on a side road.
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