HUNDREDS OF ITALIAN DEMONSTRATORS EN ROUTE TO CONFRONT IDF AT ROADBLOCKS

HUNDREDS OF ITALIAN DEMONSTRATORS EN ROUTE TO CONFRONT IDF AT ROADBLOCKS
by Ma'ariv 8:18am Tue Mar 26 '02

- ITALIANS AT ROADBLOCKS

HUNDREDS OF ITALIAN DEMONSTRATORS EN ROUTE TO CONFRONT IDF AT ROADBLOCKS

Ma’ariv -- Hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators from Italy plan to come to Israel in the coming days to clash with security forces at roadblocks bordering the Palestinian Authority.

The Italian activists plan to be here on Land Day, this coming Saturday, so they will have a chance to clash with Israeli forces.

One group of activists is scheduled to arrive on Thursday. Two delegations from Milan and Rome will meet in Athens and travel to Tel Aviv together.

The Italians, who are affiliated with Organization of the Opposition to Globalization, which expresses its support in a violent manner at every international meeting, published a provocative plan in which they do not conceal their plan to have a direct clash with Israelis, hoping that casualties who are European nationals will damage Israel’s international image.

"We will open our little eyes at 5:00 AM and we’ll get on the bus to Ramallah raring to go. There, with a nice smile we will demonstrate with all of the Palestinian forces. We will join the faithful coming out of the mosques, and then we’ll go to a meeting with Yasser Arafat," was the description of Friday’s itinerary.

On the other hand, the participants plan direct violence with the security forces on Land Day. "At 1:00 PM, after a folk celebration accompanied by dancing and singing, we will go out with the crowd to meet the Israeli tanks, at roadblocks and at checkpoints, not far from Ramallah.

In our thoughts will be the question, will the Israelis understand that this is a pacifist demonstration?"