Thousands of Israelis, mostly Ethiopians, protested on Wednesday, nearly two weeks after 24-year-old Yehuda Biadga was shot by police in Bat Yam. Biadga’s is the latest controversial death at the hands of police in Israel, and comes amid anger and fear among Ethiopian Jews that the police use disproportionate force against their community. They also feel that without a large protest, these kinds of incidents come and go without being addressed – by either the police or the government. It is important for the police to take the investigation into Biadga’s death seriously.The wider issue is that the Ethiopian community needs to feel that the government cares about them. Community members wonder why he was not prevented from crossing over and argue that if he was not black then there would be more national concern.The government has made impressive strides towards integrating the Ethiopian community.

Source: Ethiopian News February 01, 2019 06:00 UTC