Orna Banai speaks at Rabin memorial march ahead of anti-Netanyahu protests

"On the anniversary of Rabin's death, Bibi chose to talk about only himself and make up murder threats against himself and his family in order to shed the blood of the protesters."

By CELIA JEAN
Orna Banai speaks at Yitzhak Rabin memorial march ahead of anti-Netanyahu protests, October 31, 2020 (photo credit: PEACE NOW)
Orna Banai speaks at Yitzhak Rabin memorial march ahead of anti-Netanyahu protests, October 31, 2020
(photo credit: PEACE NOW)
To mark the 25th anniversary of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, thousands marched from Zion Square in Jerusalem to the main demonstration location for protests held against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Balfour Street.
Famed actress Orna Banai spoke with tears in her eyes during the march. 
"Yitzhak, there is not a day that we do not miss you. What a loss. How they murdered you and gained from it. Twenty-five years later and the same man still stands on the front porch and never left. Incitement and division are the enterprise of his life," Banai said. 
"On the anniversary of Rabin's death, Bibi chose to talk about only himself and make up murder threats against himself and his family in order to shed the blood of the protesters," she said referring to last week when Netanyahu his life is threatened on a daily basis, yet the threats are not being taken seriously.
“Not against Jews, not against Arabs, not against protesters and not against leaders. Today, 25 years after Rabin’s assassination, there is this incitement to murder the prime minister and his family every day, and almost no one does anything," Netanyahu said in at the Knesset memorial service Rabin. 
At least 400 hundred demonstrators took part in a similar march commemorating Rabin's assassination in Tel Aviv, centered around Rabin Square, Ynet reported. 
In Ramat Gan, an assailant pepper-sprayed protesters from within his vehicle in one location, injuring one man, while at another eggs and cans of food were thrown at protesters, according to a police report. No one was injured as a result of the egg or the can throwing.
"We are the children of '95, we have grown up into a country that has lost hope for a normal life, into a conflicted and gap-filled society," read a statement from the "Rise Israel" group.
"In this difficult time, we do not need more wars between us, but reconciliation and rapprochement that will bring peace within us. We are at a historic, critical point in time, a spirit of hope blowing in the streets today. Only protest will produce here a true process of cultural and social healing."
Ahead of the Jerusalem march, booths belonging to the Israeli left-wing NGO Peace Now were vandalized. 
The group filed a complaint with the police and released a statement calling out continuous incitement of the anti-Netanyahu protest movement. 
Later, six people were arrested in Zion Square for causing damage to protest signs and causing public disorder, according to police reports.
"This is a direct continuation of the incitement from Balfour against demonstrators and opponents of Netanyahu. It seems that 25 years after [Rabin's] assassination nothing has changed," Peace Now said in the statement.
Anti-Netanyahu are met by police as they march along route-one. October 2020 (ISRAEL POLICE)
Anti-Netanyahu are met by police as they march along route-one. October 2020 (ISRAEL POLICE)
Earlier on Saturday evening, two protestors were arrested for not obeying police orders. The incident occurred following police stopped a procession of protestors marching down Route 1 toward the entrance of Jerusalem, holding flags and a large prop submarine.
The protestors were stopped by police near the Ein Hemed interchange for allegedly not coordinating with police prior to the demonstrations, which was "in violation of the law," the police reported. 
In response to the arrest of the "submarine convoy," the Crime Minister organization – one of the main groups in organizing the anti-Netanyahu protests – called out the police for intentionally inhibiting the protest movement. 
"In the Jerusalem district, no single opportunity is missed to abuse the protestors and sabotage the protests," the group said in a statement, referring to police involvement in the protests. "It is sad to see how Balfour commemorates 25 years since Rabin's assassination, and despite our appeal to the district commander, the police are unable to act accordingly. Under [Israel Police Commissioner ] Doron Yedid, the Jerusalem police became the last line of defense for the accused from Balfour. He must not be commissioner."