Israeli Arabs demonstrated against Syrian President Bashar Assad a day after the U.N. General Assembly approved a resolution condemning his crackdown on dissenters.

Thousands of Israeli Arabs demonstrated Feb. 17 in Kfar Kanna in northern Israel chanting slogans including “Bashar al-Assad leave” and “Let the people live.”

The General Assembly voted Feb. 16 by a vote of 137 to 12, with 17 abstentions, to approve a nonbinding resolution that condemns Syria for its 11-month crackdown on protesters. The measure also endorses an Arab League plan that would require Assad to step down in favor of a democratically elected government.

More than 5,400 civilians have been killed during the 11-month uprising, according to the United Nations. — jta