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Hebron resident and right-wing activist Baruch Mazel was arrested in Hebron on Thursday morning 14 Menachem Av. Marzel was a candidate on the Yachad party ticket headed by Eli Yishai in the last Knesset elections.

Attorney Itamar Ben-Givir explains Marzel’s arrest surrounds police suspicions that he took part in an incident in the Ma’aras HaMachpelah on Tisha B’Av night when Jews confronted border police as the latter refused to stop the muezzin from disturbing the recitation of Megillas Eicha. Annoyed and angered, some of the Jews went to the room from which the muezzin was broadcasting and locked him inside. Following the incident Marzel was quoted saying “They are always acting in favor of the Arab enemy at the expense of the status quo. They permitted the opening of their stores despite the security dangers posed to the Jews by the decision and these acts have brought Hebron to the verge of an explosion”.

Following Marzel’s arrest Ben-Givir questions why police did not arrest the muezzin for disturbing the Jewish tefilla on Tisha B’Av, calling on Public Security Minister Erdan to instruct police to cease the ongoing policy of harassing the Jews.

A spokesman for the Shai (Shomron-Yehuda) Police stated police are investigating a number of people in connection with that Tisha B’Av incident, adding a number of witnesses and suspects are being questioned and interviewed.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)