Ethiopian Israelis protest in Tel Aviv against police racism and brutality, following an incident in which police beat a black soldier because of “the colour of his skin”. In the 1980s, thousands of Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel. Since then, they have not been fully integrated and endure racism and discrimination. This morning, PM Netanyahu met with Ethiopian community leaders.

Tel Aviv (AsiaNews) – A protest in Tel Aviv Sunday against racism and police brutality, organised by Ethiopian Israelis, left 68 injured (56 were security forces and 12 protesters) and 43 arrested, according to police on Monday.

The rally had begun peacefully. Protesters marched from the Azrieli towers to Kiryat HaMemshala, the central government compound in Tel Aviv, shutting down traffic on the Ayalon Highway - the city's main ringroad - in both directions.

But when they reached Rabin Square, everything spun out of control, with protesters throwing rocks and bottles at police, who fired back stun grenades and water cannon and charged repeatedly on horseback.

In view of the situation, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovich on Sunday night, and urged calm and a return to order.

Ethiopian Jews began protesting after a video surfaced showing an incident involving two police officer and an Ethiopian Israeli on Sunday, 26 April, in Holon. The tape shows a police officer hitting and shoving the soldier, before he is joined by another officer.

The two officers then drag the soldier to the side and begin to beat and kick him before forcibly arresting him while he is on the ground. Both have since been suspended on suspicion of using excessive force.

Ethiopian Jewish leader strongly condemned the incident and denounced police "racism" and "unjustified violence".

An initial protest saw about a thousand members of the Israeli Ethiopian community take to the streets last Thursday in Jerusalem. Then, earlier on Sunday, hundreds of Ethiopians protested against discrimination and police brutality in Tel Aviv, chanting "Not black, not white, we're all human beings."

This morning, Netanyahu was set to convene a meeting in his office with Ethiopian community leaders and Damas Pakada, the Ethiopian IDF soldier beaten by police.  

He also planned to meet as well with representatives of the all the relevant bodies, including the police, welfare authorities, absorption, interior and public security ministries.

For the prime minister, "There is room to examine all the claims;” however, "there is no room for violence and such law breaking."

For Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, "The protesters, in Jerusalem and in Tel Aviv, revealed an open and raw wound at the heart of Israeli society". Indeed, "The pain of a community crying out over a sense of discrimination, racism, and of being unanswered” calls for a response. “We must look directly at this open wound”.

Acknowledging that “We have erred,” the president also said, “We did not look, and we did not listen enough. Among the protesters on the streets, were some of our finest sons and daughters; outstanding students; those who served in the IDF. We owe them answers. At the same time,” he added, “violence is neither the way nor the solution.”

Tens of thousands of Ethiopian Jews affected by famine were airlifted to Israel in the 1980s and 1990s after a rabbinical ruling that they were direct descendants of the biblical Jewish Dan tribe. Their integration in Israel remains a problem.

"The Ethiopians have long argued that they have been marginalised and discriminated against because of the colour of their skin,” said Al Jazeera's Mike Hanna.

The community, which now numbers around 135,500 of Israel's population of more than 8 million and includes many born in Israel, has long complained of discrimination, racism and poverty. More than half of the Ethiopians in Israel live in poverty and only half graduate from high school.

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