Citizens protest destruction of Muslim cemetery

Jaffa's Arab residents hang posters protesting destruction of Muslim cemetery after sale of land to private hands. Councilman Turk: Residents must defend holy sites.

Posters bearing the slogan 'Hast thou killed, and also taken possession?' above a praying skeleton were hung throughout Jaffa during the weekend. The posters were put up in protest against the decision to destroy a Muslim cemetery in Jaffa's Tel-Kabir neighborhood and build a commercial center in its stead.

The residents' anger is mostly directed at the Board of Trustees, the organization they had trusted to support them in their property battle. A legal debate over the property has been going on for 35 years, ever since the board approved the sale of the cemetery's land to a private party.

Recently the High Court determined that the sale was legal, and demanded that the Waqf transfer the graves to another location. The verdict caused rage to break out among the Arab population in the area. Tel Aviv Councilman Rifat (Jimmy) Turk told Ynet that he was behind the posters. "I created them with my Jewish friend, Meir Mendelsohn, in order to enlighten the residents of Jaffa to the present situation, which has not ceased to trouble me. They must awaken from the coma they are in before it is too late, to defend their holy sites," he said.