Residents of Jerusalem were alarmed and then puzzled as the quiet of Shabbos morning was disturbed by what sounded like a prolonged gun battle.

Israeli residents are used to hearing gunshots at night at times since Arabs shoot guns in the air at weddings but weddings don’t normally take place at 8 a.m. in the morning. Some residents spotted glimpses of fireworks in the distance, an odd sight in broad daylight.

It wasn’t until Shabbos was over that Yerushalmim found out what was going on. Residents of East Jerusalem neighborhoods were setting off fireworks in celebration of high school students receiving their matriculation exam results, which thousands of students received at 8 a.m. by text.

Apparently, this happens every year but not with the frequency heard over Shabbos, which initially panicked many residents. The fireworks continued sporadically throughout the day and were still heard after Havdalah.

Continous firework explosions occurred throughout the Palestinian Authority and Judea and Samaria as well.

Israel Police said they have already arrested eight suspects for possession of illegal fireworks. There were at least 15 Arabs injured by fireworks as of Motzei Shabbos.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)