Israel tries to calm unrest as Ethiopian Jews protest
Israel on Monday admitted “mistakes” in dealing with its Ethiopian community as top officials sought to ease tensions after clashes erupted during protests over alleged police brutality and discrimination.
Last week, years of simmering anger within the Ethiopian minority exploded into anger during a protest in Jerusalem sparked by a video showing two police assaulting an Ethiopian soldier in uni- form.
A second protest in Tel Aviv on Sunday also deteriorated into violence, prompting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to schedule urgent talks with community leaders as well as with the soldier, Damas Pa kada. The talks began around midday ( 0900 GMT) on Monday, public radio said. At Sunday’s protest, police used stun grenades, water cannon and pepper spray to disperse a crowd of several thousand Ethiopian Israelis. Protesters threw stones, bottles and chairs, injuring 55 police officers.
Forty- three people were arrested, police said, and 19 would face charges of rioting and attacking officers later on Monday.
Twelve demonstrators were also hurt, police said, although the extent of their injuries was not immediately clear. The Tel Aviv protest was one of the most violent in Israel in years, and raised fears of further confrontation with the country’s 135,000strong Ethiopian Jewish community.