Bennett's Umm al-Fahm visit canceled due to 'commemoration of martyrs'

• Published date: 02 October 2021
• Author: ELIAV BREUER
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

"Tomorrow, Friday, is memorial day to the Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque riots," Ra'am said in a statement in Arabic, referring to the October 2000 events.

"This is a very important national event in the history of the Arab community and Umm el-Fahm. In order to respect this important memory and the memory of the martyrs, and in order to concentrate efforts in a proper manner - both in coping with the coronavirus that has spread lately in the Arab community, and in order to uphold the national events that are important to us, while maintaining national unity, and in a proper manner to our nation and to the city of Umm el-Fahm - Ra'am requested that PM Bennett's visit tomorrow be postponed. The request was approved and the visit was postponed to another date," the party announced.

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The visit had originally been planned at Umm el-Fahms' Clalit Health Services branch in order to promote vaccinations, as the Israeli-Arab community has the lowest vaccination rates in the country.

Bennett's spokesperson Matan Sidi was quick to issue a clarification.

"The visit was canceled due to expected demonstrations and security arrangements," he said. "This is the reason, and this alone."

Ra'am head Mansour Abbas then posted a clarification of his own.

"The Prime Minister's visit to Umm el-Fahm that was scheduled for tomorrow and was postponed was meant to promote vaccines in the...