The demonstrators carried signs reading “Yes to peace” and “Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies.” Giant posters featuring the image of US President Barack Obama read “Yes, we ken” (yes in Hebrew). It is widely thought that the US may veto a proposal for a vote in the United Nations in September for the creation of a Palestinian State (at present many of the 2.5 million people living in the West Bank and Gaza are stateless refugees). The demonstrators were calling on Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu (Prime Minister of Israel) to recognize that the establishment of Palestine serves vital Israeli interests.
Members of the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) including some of the representatives of the 20% Arab population in Israel were present at the march.
The humanist organization World without wars and without violence — organizers of the World March for Peace and Nonviolence that developed significant actions in the area together with many peace organizations of Israel and Palestine in 2009-10 — marched with the mainly left leaning organizations in support of active non-violence as the only methodology than can truly resolve conflicts.
