Violent riots break out in Nazareth

PID to investigate report that a policeman shot and seriously wounded a rioter.

By YAAKOV KATZ
riots smoke 88 (photo credit: )
riots smoke 88
(photo credit: )
Violent riots broke out in Nazareth on Saturday during the funeral of a 26-year-old resident of the city who was shot dead Friday night during a large street fight between his family and a rival clan. Sami Nafafa was shot dead Friday night during a massive fight between his family and the rivaling Hilo family. Large police forces arrived at the northern city's Fakura neighborhood and succeeded in reinstating calm in the area, which lasted until Nafafa's Saturday-afternoon funeral procession when the riots lit up again. At least four homes were set afire and Molotov cocktails were heaved across the streets filled with hundreds of Israeli-Arab protestors. The already tense atmosphere heated up after a policeman reportedly shot and seriously injured one of the rioters. Eight others were injured during the clashes. The Justice Ministry's Police Investigative Department (PID) announced shortly after the shooting it would investigate the incident. Last week, the PID arrested a Jerusalem border policeman who allegedly shot dead an Arab resident of east Jerusalem in the neighborhood of Issawiya. By Saturday evening, the streets of Nazareth turned calm and police succeeded in restoring order in the city. A committee of Israeli-Arab leaders convened in Nafafa's home and succeeded in obtaining a hudna - truce - between the families to last for the next two weeks. Friday night's murder came following 10 years of strife between the Nafafa and Hilo families. The original rift between the families reportedly surrounded a NIS 1,500 loan the Hilos gave the Nafafas years ago to buy wood for the winter. On Friday, an argument broke out between the families - who are also relatives - and within minutes what was a verbal disagreement turned into a heated fistfight during which over 10 people were injured and guns were drawn.