Hundreds of Israelis of Ethiopian descent demonstrated yesterday in Jerusalem against what they said was blatant discrimination against their community by the state. The protesters clashed with police briefly when they blocked a main road near the Foreign Ministry.

Eleven protesters suffered injuries in the clashes, as did four officers, and 25 arrests were made.

The demonstration was sparked by reports in the media last week that the Health Ministry had resumed its policy of discarding Ethiopian blood donated to the Magen David Adom blood bank, because it feared it was contaminated with disease. A decade ago, a similar policy led to protests by the Ethiopian community for what it terms "the policy of discrimination and racism" against its members.

"We are healthy people, like everyone else," said Galit Maarat, 24, from Ashkelon. "It's unjust, a terrible insult."

Inbal Jacobs, a spokeswoman for the Health Ministry, said all blood donors must fill out a questionnaire that specifies that certain groups of people cannot donate blood, including those who have been in countries, like Ethiopia, where AIDS is widespread.

Jacobs said Israel followed international criteria that did not specifically target people from Africa, but rather anyone who had spent a considerable amount of time in countries at risk of blood-borne disease, including those who were in Britain during the outbreak of Mad Cow disease.

"There are certain guidelines, and these procedures are not unique to Israel," she said.

However, the protesters also expressed their dissatisfaction with issues that they feel highlight the discrimination against the Ethiopian community in Israel.

The protesters demanded that affirmative action be applied in hiring civil servants of Ethiopian origin. They also asked that the wages of Ethiopian rabbis and religious leaders, known as Keis, be equal to those of neighborhood rabbis. In addition, they demanded that more people from the Falashmura community in Ethiopia be allowed to come to Israel.

The issue of religious discrimination, which is at the root of the Falashmura question, was also expressed by the demonstrators' demand that Ethiopian Israelis be allowed to initiate marriage proceedings in any religious council, not only in Tel Aviv, as is done now.

The protesters made their way to the Prime Minister's office, and demanded to meet with Ehud Olmert. Their request was refused.

Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim met with representatives of the community on behalf of the government yesterday, and the two sides agreed that a ministerial committee on Ethiopian Jewry affairs would be set up.

It was also agreed that a committee of inquiry would be set up to examine the Health Ministry's policy regarding Ethiopian blood contributions.

Boim also intervened to gain the release of those arrested by police.

The demonstrators dispersed after warning the government that "we are fed up with false promises; we want equality in every sense of the word. So far we kept quiet but we shall shout and express our protest against discrimination everywhere we stand."

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