Nine Palestinians arrested for pummeling ultra-Orthodox with snowballs

So the police CAN open charge criminals even if victims don't complain? How many times have we heard from the police that no action was taken because no complaint was lodged? One case I remember was last year when Betar louts ran riot in the Malcha Mall.

My husband and I are Christians but my husband looks extremely Jewish. He was attacked on the snow day by a group of guys throwing snowballs and screaming its a Jew, Its a Jew. It shook him up really... I have had similar experiences but my knowledge of Arabic usually stops them from doing anymore damage.

Unlike bullets, tear gas cannisters, and white phosphorus, snow CANNOT hurt you.

Children arrested by Israelis for throwing snowballs no surprise there. Why not write about the other side of this story? Palestinian children have to put up with harassment, insults, abuses, torture, theft and murder from the IDF and Israelis/settlers on a daily basis. This story is just another desperate attempt to get Israeli sentiment that clearly backfired.

Justice is not so diligent when Palestinians are attacked with sticks and guns by settlers...

between the communities in Jerusalem. However , to arrest ofyoung people because they were involved in a snowball fight , an unfriendly one never the less , is silly. Israel n ever misses an opportunity to exercise its power over the lives of non Jews in israel. If these arrested boys were Jews , this would not have been an arrest or even an investigation. If the acts are the same ( different motives) , at the end , it was a snowball fight....Israel will outlaw pillow fights and jumping on the bed parties.

Why "allegedly"? What about the Video don't you understand?

G-d is watching from above and blessing and cursing accordingly below!

I could point out that whenever a story appears of women getting harassed in Jerusalem, or little girls and Christians getting spit upon in the streets, it is always the Haredim who are at fault. Or does that make me anti-semitic?

So I feel sympathy for these Hasidim, even though I don't like their brand of Judaism.

Thank you for all the insightful comments posted here. Someday when any of you are walking, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, atheist, take your pick, and are harassed by an angry crowd yelling racist slurs and throwing snow in your face, continue to act so shocked by punishing this 'playful behavior.' The punishment was wrong and over the top - I agree. Arrests should not have been made. However, I couldn't care less about snow in their hands or not... the truth of the matter is that a crowd gathering to harass two civilians because of their dress and religious beliefs is disgusting. This is 2013... grow up, learn some tolerance, and look at a story for what it is instead of running to throw your ill informed political opinions into the public domain.

The problem here is that this is a news item that is not news worthy. The kids seemed to only be getting a slap on the wrist. This is A common case of physical and verbal harassment that would be dealt with the same anywhere. It has nothing to do with settlers, the occupation, Palestinians, or Israelis. Get Real, watch the disturbing video, and chill out.

Israel is the ONLY state where snow is considered lethal and IDF bullets fired at unarmed childen is commendible.

Ice balls are cheating. Then, you issue a challenge, or you simply hide in the fort. Then you... ATTACK!

Snowball wars with snow forts and full-on ambushes (street vs street) , snow men, snow angels. Washing your hair in snow. Making snow cones our of REAL snow. You dont' want to get hit with an ice ball, though. Those HURT!

to schnowball??? terrorist attack...hahaha

of Jerusalem, no ?

Last week's report only mentioned snowballs which are harmless unless they are snow covered rocks. If there were no complaints from the Haredi victims I see no reason to arrest anyone. But if over the week details of the "snowballing" turned into something else then please have the full details posted. PS and you know I am a pro-Israel poster. I want level headed reporting and equal rights for all. If the Pals desrved being arrested I want the full honest reason why .

Events in Jerusalem will always dominate international news.

If this were the other way around, the story would have said the men were having fun and were playful. But NO how dare these Palestinians throw deadly weapons at Israelis. Give us a break.

Man! You must really be off the track as a nation if you do this!

And your reporter for using the word pummelled - it's snowballs for God's sake.

jews get harassed and put their lives at risk in theirs

ever find the murderers and when they find him then they declare him insane !!!

And just what makes them 'extremist'? Did the reporter speak to them? Hear any extremisms? Which specific sect are they? By what parameter is the sect deemed 'extreme'? Or does your readership simply and simplistically expect the label by virtue of their dress-code?