Police in racially mixed cities are preparing for Shabbos, Yom Kippur, which this year also coincides with Id el Idcha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Official fear confrontations will take place between Jews and Arabs.
The decision was made to close the entrance of Akko with the exception of a southern lane from Argaman Beach towards the Old City. The decision was made at a meeting attended by police, city officials, the city’s chief rabbi and the imam of the el-Jazar Mosque.
Back in 2008 there were week-long confrontations between Jews and Arabs after an Arab driver was attacked. Dozens of Jews and Arabs were arrested and stores, apartments, vehicles and property were damaged in the violence.
Mayor Shimon Lankry explains that the appropriate lessons were learned from that violence and measures are being taken to prevent a reoccurrence.
In Lod, Labor MK Merav Michaeli arranged a meeting attended by Mayor Yair Revivo, Jewish and Islamic clergymen and MKs to devise a plan to avoid violence between the communities.
Haifa Mayor Yonah Yahav convened a special meeting attended by religious officials in the city. Yahav is confident “city residents will exhibit patience and tolerance and the holidays with pass without incident in an atmosphere of mutual respect towards the leaders and customs of the religions in the city”.
In Yerushalayim, police are preparing. Border police and police volunteers will take up position beginning on Friday morning erev Shabbos/Yom Kippur. Special attention will be focused on the Old City and routes leading to and from the Kosel as thousands of mispallalim are expected to making their way to the Kosel. Volunteers of the Mishmar Ezrachi auxiliary police will be given weapons to keep them at their side in shuls in their neighborhoods. Checkpoints will be set in place to prevent vehicular traffic from the eastern and western areas of the city. Jaffa Gate will be closed to all non-residents vehicles on Thursday evening ahead of the expected large influx of mispallalim for Hataras Nedarim.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
One Response
and which races might that be???
Like it or not, Jews and Arabs are not racial groups, and in fact based on DNA the people most like Jews are the Palestinians
Though from a racial perspective, both include blondes and red heads and persons with African features