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US protests inspire activists across Middle East

In Israel, Palestine, Egypt and Tunisia protesters take up calls for reform in solidarity with Black Lives Matter.

A Palestinian man walks past a mural depicting George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody, in Gaza City June 18, 2020. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem - RC2PBH9PNMI4
A Palestinian man walks past a mural depicting George Floyd, who died in Minneapolis police custody, in Gaza City, June 18, 2020. — REUTERS/Mohammed Salem

The protests in the United States in response to the May 25 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer are making waves across the world. The Middle East is no exception. 

Here are four examples — in Israel, Palestine, Tunisia, and Egypt — of how the protests are playing out in the regional context:

Israel: Ethiopian-born officials press for dramatic police reform

The killing of George Floyd sparked memories of the police shooting last year of Solomon Tekah, an 18-year-old Israeli of Ethiopian origin. The riots following Tekah’s funeral were among the most violent ever observed in Israel. 

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