Jewish Protesters Attack Arabs And Arab Property In Bat Yam, Tiberias, Lod And Akko

JERUSALEM (VINnews) — After days of violent riots by Israeli Arabs in numerous mixed cities including Akko and Lod and on roads near Arab enclaves, with numerous attacks on infrastructure, cars, schools, shuls, and police equipment, Wednesday evening saw gangs of Jewish protesters fighting back, attacking Arabs indiscriminately as well as Arab property.

In towns like Bat Yam and Tiberias, Jews attacked Arab passersby and targeted Arab stores and businesses, stoning and vandalizing them. The protesters tried to advance from Bat Yam to Yaffo, a predominantly Arab town, but police succeeded in stopping them from reaching Yaffo, although they could not prevent the vandalizing of Arab stores.

At one point an Arab tried to ram his car into protesters and ended up ramming into other cars. Protesters attacked the Arab who was later taken to hospital in moderate condition.

בת ים . מתקפה פרועה על עסקים של ערבים בעיר באזור הטיילת. pic.twitter.com/Hco7r7x3fF

— Jack khoury.جاك خوري (@KhJacki) May 12, 2021

בת ים, הערב. הפעם זה יהודים שבאים לתקוף ולבצע ונדליזם בעסקים של ערבים כשהם צועדים לכיוון יפו. בשונה מגזרת רמלה-לוד, בה באמת היה ריבוי זירות מטורף, פה – גזרת מחוז ת"א – ידעו על הצעדה המתוכננת הזו ועדיין לא מצליחים למנוע את התמונות הקשות pic.twitter.com/XVexTQS2QA

— Ittai Shickman | איתי שיקמן (@ittaishick) May 12, 2021

Religious Zionism leader Betzalel Smotrich was quick to condemn the Jewish rioters, stating: “Jewish brothers, stop! We cannot be dragged into this violence, G-d forbid. Self-defense against terror and hooligans is legitimate, wanton violence and destruction of property -absolutely not! We cannot be dragged into anarchy.”

Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef also called for restraint, stating that “we have to be a light to the nations and not the opposite. We must leave the work of restoring order to the police as that is its

Police attempted to establish a curfew in Lod in an attempt to bring some calm to the fractured city, but despite the curfew clashes are still taking place between Jews – many of whom have come from outside the city to defend their brothers against the Arab vandalism which has largely gone unanswered by police – and Arabs. A police car was set on fire, its flames demonstrating effectively the lack of proper governance in the city. Arabs and Jews continue to spar into the night, with police using stun grenades in an attempt to disperse the agitators.

In Akko Arabs hurled stones at police and Jewish passersby, one of whom was critically injured by a stone thrown at him. A police car was set on fire by the Arab hooligans.