Dichter vows to punish inciters of violence

Following meeting with Acre Mayor Shimon Lancry, Dichter says police had no prior intel and that the riots did not appear to have been planned.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
dichter 248.88 (photo credit: AP [file])
dichter 248.88
(photo credit: AP [file])
Public Security Minister Avi Dichter on Friday vowed to put the "perpetrators and inciters" of the Acre violence "behind lock and key." Following a meeting with Acre Mayor Shimon Lancry, Dichter said police had no prior intelligence of the violence and that the riots did not appear to have been planned. He stressed that restoring calm to the city was not only the job of police, but also of community leaders. "We are planning ahead for the scenario of, God forbid, violence spreading to other places. I call on leaders, both in the Jewish community and Arab community, to act sensibly," he said. Prior to the meeting, Dichter was greeted with shouts of "No one is protecting us," from an angry crowd. MK Uri Ariel (NU-NRP) accused MK Abbas Zakour (United Arab List) of inciting the Arab rioters during the clashes. Ariel claimed that the Israeli Arab MK didn't turn to police, but "conducted events" from a nearby house. Meanwhile, Zakour urged Dichter to prevent Ariel and Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman from touring Acre's Old City, saying such a visit would hinder efforts to restore calm, Army Radio reported. Speaking to Israel Radio, Lieberman termed the incidents a pogrom carried out by Arabs and compared it to Kristallnacht. MK Arieh Eldad (NRP-NU) also called the Acre riots a pogrom and said police "shouldn't be surprised when Jews take up arms to protect themselves."