JERUSALEM: Israeli Police this morning [April 25] forcibly broke up a protest demonstration by some 300 Arab women against Government plans to hold an Israeli “Independence Day” parade in occupied East Jerusalem on May 2.

A dozen of women were arrested, including the wife and the daughter of Anwar Husseibeh, a former Jordanian Defence Minister and Governor of Jerusalem. The demonstrators, all dressed in black and including both Muslims and Christians, were marching from Herod’s Gate in the old city to Israeli Military Command headquarters with a petition against the parade plans.

A police spokesman said the march was broken up because it was held without a permit. — Agency

[Meanwhile, as reported by a correspondent in Colombo,] groups of Muslim men, women and children, who had lost all their belongings in last week’s massacre at Allahabad, sobbed out their plight to Home Minister Chavan, and asked for protection for their lives and property, according to reports reaching Colombo today [April 25].

Mr Chavan, who made a flying visit to the riot-torn Allahabad, told the helpless victims that the Government would take “adequate action”. At many points the Muslims showed the Home Minister their burnt houses and shops. Many of them broke down while narrating harrowing details of the cowardly and disastrous attack by hooligans.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2018