MOSCOW/TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2021) Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has ordered the call-up of 10 Border Police units and deploy them across the country in a bid to suppress ongoing clashes between Arab and Jewish communities, The Jerusalem Post newspaper reported on Thursday.
According to the news outlet, over 370 people have been arrested throughout Israel since the start of Jewish-Arab violence against the backdrop of the ongoing confrontation between Israel and the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. Riots had broken out in several cities including Jerusalem, Akko (Acre), Haifa and Lod.
In Lod, a mixed Arab-Jewish city in the country's Central District, protesters smashed up a market and a school building and burned dozens of cars. Early on Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a state of emergency in Lod. Later, a curfew was imposed in the city starting 8 p.m. Wednesday (17:00 GMT) until 4 a.m. the following day.
"In the city of Lod, police detained overnight 36 suspects for involvement in the riots. During the unrest, damage was caused to vehicles and property," the police's press service said in a statement.
On Thursday morning, a 34-year-old Jewish man was stabbed in Lod while he was preparing to pray, according to media reports. Along with that, two police cars were set on fire in the Israeli-Arab city of Kafr Qasim, while a hotel was set on fire in Akko. Videos on social media also feature multiple incidents of Jewish extremists attacking and vandalizing Arab-owned businesses.
