Israel Beef Up Security After Clashes In Acre

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:29:03 +0000
AHN Staff

Jerusalem, Israel (AHN) - Israel has beefed up security in the northern city of Acre following four days of clashes between Arabs and Jews that injured dozens of people and several shops were damaged.

The local reports said around 700 Israeli security officers are on patrol in a city of about 50,000 residents. In addition to almost 400 policemen who were deployed to contain the violence on early Friday.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert criticized the violence between the Acre residents, during a weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem on Sunday morning.

PM Olmert's comments came after the clashes between Jewish and Arab residents entered its fifth day as late Saturday another Arab-owned home was set on fire, while a car of a Jewish resident was torched early Sunday.

"Everyone thinks that only Jews are being hurt in the eastern neighborhood, and nobody's paying any attention to us," Subhi Murasi, owner of one of the torched houses, was quoted saying by Israel's Haaretz newspaper.

"All the money I invested in this house, and now everything has been destroyed."

Local reports said the residents from both the communities pelted stones at each other overnight after which they were dispersed by Israeli security officers with water cannons.

The security personnel have reportedly arrested as many as 54 people since Wednesday, the day when the clashes began after a local resident was beaten up for driving his car into a conservative Jewish area during a holy day.

The incident took place during the Jewish Yom Kippur holy day as a man drove up with music blaring from his car radio, leading annoyed residents to assault the man on the day when they do not eat.

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