In spite of protests of right-wing extremists against their marriage, Maral Malka and Mahmoud Mansour's wedding proceeded on Sunday. Nonetheless, the ceremony was filled with more tension than normal.

Over 200 demonstrators were chanting "death to the Arabs" in an evident expression of disagreement over the controversial Israeli wedding. The objections were raised simply because the bride is from a Jewish family while the groom is an Arab Muslim.

Like Us on Facebook

Early on Sunday, the couple together with their lawyers was unsuccessful in acquiring a court order to impede the protest.

Instead, police force was lent to the couple to keep demonstrations 200 meters away from the wedding hall.

The protest amidst the unrest in Gaza added to tensions among Arab and Jewish people.

A Jewish group named Lehava, which initiated the protest, had been known to harass Jewish-Arab couples in the past. The group stressed religious reasons for their objection on the union.

Malka, a natural born Jew who had converted into Islam prior to the wedding, had been called a 'traitor against the Jewish state' by right-wing activists.

Lehava spokesman Michael Ben-Ari dubbed intermarriage with non-Jews "worse than what Hitler did" during the Second World War, where over 6 million Jews were killed across Europe.

"Such expressions undermine the basis of our coexistence here, in Israel, a country that is both Jewish and democratic," a member of right-wing Likud bloc named Rivlin stated.

Yoram Malka, the bride's father, has publicly expressed his opposition to her daughter's wedding. He claimed that his only problem with his now-son-in-law is that he is an Arab.

On the other hand, despite of the overwhelming opposition on their union, the couple received support from some left-wing Israelis, who organized a counter-demonstration. In the event, the members of the group they hold balloons, flowers and a placard stating, "Love conquers all."

Regardless of the adamant objections and ruckus prior and during their wedding, the 26-year-old groom together with his 23-year-old bride stood their ground and fought for their love.

"We will dance and be merry until the sun comes up. We favour coexistence," Mahmoud Mansour told Reuters.

TagsJewish, Arab, Muslim, Islam, wedding, Protest, Lehava