Masked Arabs throw rocks, bottles of paint at Jewish school bus on Mt. of Olives

Egged bus attacked outside Old City; 2 more Palestinian youths arrested for French Hill petrol station riot.

By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
A view of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
A view of the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Amid a flurry of violence in the capital Sunday morning, including Arabs throwing rocks and bottles of paint at a school bus, police arrested two more youths suspected of participating in a riot that nearly ignited a French Hill gas station earlier this month.
According to Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, the first attack occurred at 8 a.m. on the Mount of Olives, where a school bus was hit by rocks and paint thrown by masked youths, resulting in a shattered windshield and traumatized children.
Shortly after that, a No. 1 bus was also attacked by rocks just outside of the Old City, resulting in shattered windows, Rosenfeld added.
While there were no injuries or arrests in either incident, he said police arrived at both scenes promptly to secure the areas and search for the suspects.
Meanwhile, overnight Sunday two more Arab minors from Isawiya were arrested for rioting and attempting to ignite an explosion at a neighboring French Hill petrol station two weeks ago using firebombs, Rosenfeld said.
The station was targeted during the latest round of rioting to engulf the city following the September 7 death of an Arab teen after being struck in the head by a police sponge bullet during a riot in Wadi Joz one week earlier.
Following reports of the teen’s death, a mob of dozens of masked Arab youths and adults from Isawiya looted the station, threw rocks at its Arab workers, stole its cash register and repeatedly threw firebombs at the gas pumps in an attempt to ignite an explosion.
There were no injuries or arrests during the melee.
Sunday’s detentions bring the total number of arrests stemming from the gas station to six, and the total number of Arabs arrests since July to over 750, including over 250 minors.
Despite the spate of arrests – including over 50 this month – Rosenfeld said more are expected, as police continue to review surveillance footage and investigate.
Both suspects were arraigned at Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court Sunday, where they were remanded by a judge.