Four youths from the Beduin Galilee village of Tuba Zanghariya were arrested during police raids on their homes
Tuesday, following
major overnight disturbances sparked by the
torching of a
mosque on Sunday by vandals who left behind far-right graffiti.
A police
source told
The Jerusalem Post that “many shots were fired in the air” by armed
rioters during the unrest.
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Palestinians report further 'price tag' attack in W. BankDozens of youths set fire to the village’s
regional council building, heavily damaging it. A medical building and a
community center were also torched.
The rioters pelted police with rocks
and blocked the main entrance to the village.
Police fired tear gas and
stun grenades to disperse the youths, and simultaneously launched an
investigation to track down the identities of suspects.
On Tuesday
afternoon, large numbers of police raided four addresses and arrested suspected
rioters.
The suspects are aged 19 to 28, and are due to appear before a
Safed Magistrate’s Court for a remand hearing on Wednesday.
The police’s
northern district chief, Cmdr. Roni Atiya, remained in the village throughout
Tuesday. He said a policy of zero tolerance would be applied to any who
disturbed the peace, while adding that dialogue with village notables would
continue in an effort to restore calm.
“Further arrests are expected in
the coming days of all those who disrupted the peace and attacked police and
property, threw stones, or fired shots,” a police spokesman said.
The
police investigation into the attack on the mosque continues.