Shot fired in the air as Arabs, yeshiva students clash in Acre
Confrontation escalates on Simhat Torah holiday following ongoing tension between sectors in mixed city.
By Jack Khoury and Haaretz CorrespondentA gunshot was fired in the air during a confrontation between Jews and Arabs in the mixed city of Acre Saturday evening.
The clash between Arab and Jewish residents of the city began Friday afternoon and escalated Saturday evening into a general confrontation between the Arab residents and yeshiva students.
A large number of police officers arrived at the scene of the confrontation at the Wolfson neighborhood at Acre's northern entrance.
Acre's mayor, Shimon Lankri and leading members of the Arab sector in the city, including MK Abas Zkoor (United Arab List) also arrived at the scene.
According to eyewitnesses, the yeshiva students were performing the traditional Simhat Torah holiday celebrations, and at the same time, the Muslim residents of the neighborhood gathered, claiming the celebrations constituted a provocation.
One eyewitness reported that the yeshiva's security guard fired a gunshot in the air, causing an escalation in the conflict.
The clashes began Friday with loud arguments between the residents of the neighborhood and the yeshiva students, who wanted to celebrate the Jewish holiday in the predominantly Muslim neighborhood.
There had been tension in the neighborhood since the beginning of Ramadan and a decision was made to publicly broadcast excerpts from the Koran in the evening following the daily fast.
About two weeks ago, police confiscated speakers from the house that broadcasted the prayers, but following intervention by MK Zkoor and others from the Arab sector, an agreement was reached stating that the prayer could be broadcast at a low volume for two minutes each evening, only during the Ramadan, in order to announce the end of the fast.
Members of Acre's Jewish community considered the city's agreement a "submission," and called it a violation of city code, as the neighborhood is residential and has no prayer site.
The neighborhood's Arab residents said that because of the neighborhood's physical distance from the old city of Acre, they cannot hear the muezzin announcing the end of the fast.
They further asserted that 95 percent of the neighborhood's residents are Arab Muslims, and therefore, no harm exists to the Jewish community in broadcasting the prayers.
The Arab residents also said that the yeshiva students in the neighborhood perform religious ceremonies in the center of the neighborhood on a weekly basis and are never provoked.
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The statement that arabs are overly emotional, and offended easily stands for itself. This isn't an opinion, this is fact. No one can in any way refute this. The case at hand is just another example of how arabs are so easily provoked. Dancing in the street one night a year is hardly provocation when the jewish people of Israel have to listen to those loud, so very annoying moslem prayers 3 times a day. I've been to Israel, and it's unbelievable that anyone can tolerate something so loud and irritating. Yet in this case the arabs must be the victims, so why am i even posting.
I know it's hard for you to comprehend, but your words speak volumes. I quoted you. As when you said that you said "there are ways in which those Jews could make it clear to those Muslims that this wasnt about intimidation or provocation" implies Jews had to "make it clear" that a joyous celebration held in that city since before the Muslim invasion was not intimidation. Facts and the simple history of the holidy show that. As for the "invitation", get real. Celebrating a singularly Jewish holiday, the restarting of the reading of the Torah, in not multi-denominational. However, as usual, you demand tolerance of non-Muslims. Then you insult yeshiva students. Gosh, how open minded... Finally, in your latest drivel, you make mistakes: 1) That the majority has a right to do what it wants and the minority has no rights, yet you argue the opposite in Israel at large 2) Residents claimed 95%. No study shows they're right (Kind of like Siniora's "40 dead! oops, 1")
I dont understand, i cant imagine what i said is bad or hypocritical. I said the Muazzin is great to hear because i enjoy it a lot. I also said "Jewish celebrations are great experiences". The broadcasting of the Qur'an wasnt really that much of a provocation as the article points out "that 95 percent of the neighborhood's residents are Arab Muslims". And that its only for Ramadan as they cant hear the Muazzin becuase of the distance from the Mosque. I'm sure that the Muslims of that neighbouhood would have been humbled if they had been invited with warmth by the Jews of that city. But we all know what the pro-Zionist march is all about in Jerusalem that goes through the Muslim quarter. Everything is about control and dominance. Just like this. Instead of enjoying this occasion they were looking to rub it in! That is a sin in its self. SHALOM ALEICHEM/SALAM ALEIKUM (whether you like it or not chaver) :)
would you accept a muslim celebration in center tel aviv?
tripped over it. not worth more tahn a breath or two on you.
As the article points out, the broadcasting of the Koran was new and done loudly from a private house. The only purpose could have been "intimidation or provocation." However, she quickly excuses that. Meanwhile, a happy celebration of Simchat Torah, not at all violent and one that has been held in that city since before Mohammed was born is considered a "provocation." Gosh, dancing in the streets in celebration of the Torah one night a year is just so terrible and so much "worse" that loud prayers for a month. Wrong! Lubnani, you don't mean "Shalom/Salam", but mean to cause problems. That regular signature is one more bit of your hypocrisy.
If a little consideration is given on both sides, peaceful co-existance can be possible. The towns elders on both sides should learn from what has happened and make preparations for next year. With an attitude to be a little more inclusive and respectful of their neighbours concerns, both Jew and Muslim can show the rest of the country and maybe even the world, the way forward.
Israel MUST be Israel. You live in Detroit which MUST be American. Don't be naive about why Israel was founded, please.
Jews always provocates muslims, with the support of the police and army,there is not justice.
Celebrating Simchat Torah by dancing with the Torah is a provocation in the State of Israel? No. It is the mere presence of Jews that get these people upset.
great experiences. The only thing about the Jewish celebrations in the middle of a Muslim neighbourhood is the intentions of the participants. Believe it or not there are ways in which those Jews could make it clear to those Muslims that this wasnt about intimidation or provocation. Like maybe, inviting them? But you know how cockey those Yeshiva students can be. Shalom/Salam
Yes, BUT. Then we have the Jew who was arrested for shounding Shofar at westrn wall on Rosh Hashanah - disturbing to Muslims....
So much for the one state solution i guess.
Just wondering if Jews will be allowed to publicly celebrate their holidays in the PA lands. Blowing the rams horn, etc. Muslims could have turned on radio & TV to hear the announcements. Of course that would have required them showing consideration for their Jewish neighbors, why compromise when rioting is so much more fun.
Why can't the Jews just enjoy the lovely chanting coming from the speakers? What makes them so confrontational, when the Muslim population have proven themselves to be extrely patient? And why were the Yeshiva students celebrating their holiday in a totally Muslim Arab neighborhood? It appears to me that the Jews of Israel enjoy creating racist tension, as opposed to learning to get along with their Muslim neighbors. You are missing a lot, believe me.
Let us debate this issue without idiotic statements about those 'bloody Jews' or 'bloody Arabs', and without immediate assumptions or feelings of false verification that these incidents reinforce your preconceived ideas of the Other. What this does teach however, is the need for all sides to continue (or perhaps start) to reinforce the universal values of respect and tolerance. Unfortunately, this kind of incident is all too common in societies where major religions and politics overlap, such as Northern Ireland, India, Israel, Lebanon. Let us all take a step back, take a deep breath, and redouble our efforts to coexist.
If you read the article there was provocation, and compromise on both sides. These groups will need to respect each other. Some Orthodox Sects are not as tolerant as most Israeli's. Just as Islamists do not represent all of the Palestinians. I see you either didn't really read the article, or just needed to curse Jews. The question is what is anti-semitism versus anti-zionism You are an example that both are one..
Have Jews thrown muslims off the temple mount (as I am sure any other religion would have done...)? NO. Please, spare me. Jews dancing on ONE night of the year is a provocation? wow....must really be some dance. why is it that everything, done by anyone, anywhere is a provocation to muslims?
That is the problem with the Jewish State. It implies that Ethiopian and Russian foriegners have more rights than the indigenous Palestinians. Israel must become a secular state. With the influx of 1,000,000 educated and secular Russians, why wouldn't it be heading in that direction now. The Russians brought knowledge and technology to Israel, but they left an atheist country. They do not remember Judaism the way the Haredim, or even the Ethiopians do. If the Russians are welcome, then so should the indigenous Palestinian Muslims and Christians.
In Palestine/Israel/Holy land , every act from anyone is done in a way to show existence and control. Nothing is hasphazard and traditional.Everything is done with calculation to demonstrate control. Yeshiva students are not bothered by Koranic verses being broadcasted on a PA . The Yeshiva students are perturbed that Non Jewish traditions are being observed in their midst , thuis making them feel they have no control...Israel is not proud of its meager pluralism , but is threatened by it. Thus wanting to maintain a Jewish majority with a Jewish tradiion.....With this control comes opression and intolerance.
When Jews become on the top, they just become as oppressive and merciless to their new victims as their former oppressors were to them when they were underneath.
Another example of religious zealots, Jews and Moslems alike, fomenting violence.