Joint Arab List chairman Ayman Odeh participated in a Nazareth demonstration against Israel that turned violent. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – The Arab mayor of Nazareth, Ali Salem, harshly criticized Arab Knesset members for “ruining coexistence” with Israel for their roles in ongoing violent demonstrations.

“I blame the leaders. What is happening is not appropriate,” Salem, who heads the largest Arab municipality in Israel, told Israel’s Army Radio on Sunday. “It is just ruining our future, ruining our coexistence.”

Several MKs from the Joint Arab List political party have been involved in organizing and leading protests against Israel, including a demonstration in Nazareth last Thursday that turned violent. Salem said he saw Joint Arab List chairman MK Ayman Odeh at that protest and told him to leave.

“I said to him, get out of here—I don’t need to see you in Nazareth,” said Salem.

In another interview, while Salem said he disapproved of Israel’s actions on the Temple Mount holy site, he criticized Israel’s Arab leaders for their approach to the issue.

“We need to find a way to live together. We cannot fight like this. We are damaging ourselves,” Salem told Israel’s Walla news.