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Israelis celebrating Sukkot beat Palestinians worshipers

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(Photo: Ma’an News Agency)

On Friday in Jerusalem on the Muslim day of prayer Israeli tourists celebrating the Jewish fall harvest, Sukkot, attacked Muslims congregating at al-Asqa Mosque for Friday prayers. A large mob beat a group of Palestinians, resulting in the detainment of five Palestinians. Ma’an News Agency reported on October 5, 2012:

The Al-Aqsa Foundation for the Islamic Waqf and Heritage said around 140 Israelis toured the mosque, sparking physical and verbal scuffles with Muslims praying at the compound.

Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said five Palestinian citizens of Israel were detained for attacking the group, who were on a security-escorted tour for the Jewish Sukkot festival.

The attack comes as the latest example of vigilante violence in which large groups of Israelis assault Palestinians in broad daylight. Earlier in the week on Tuesday Ma’an also reported that another group of Israeli tourist also attacked Palestinians. It is unknown at this time if the two actions were related.

Mob violence against Palestinians in Jerusalem first gained attention last April when tens of Israeli youth attempted to “lynch” three Palestinians, while shouting “Death to Arabs.” During the outburst an Israeli police officer along with dozens of witnesses stood by and did not interfere on behalf of the Palestinians.

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Imagine how sick Israel will be in 2022

The Ma’an News Agency article doesn’t say anything about who threw the first punch or insult.

— Edit —
According to this article:

“A group of Arab Israelis threatened a group of Jews and Christians visiting the Temple Mount,” Micky Rosenfeld said.

“The five Arab Israelis are suspected of making threats against visitors and police. The Jew who was arrested refused to comply with police orders,” he added.

This most recent incident follows another incident earlier this week:

Israeli police arrested five people on Tuesday, two Israeli Jews and three Arabs, for disturbing the peace and attacking police at the compound where the Al-Aqsa mosque is located, police told AFP.

The arrests came as a group of rightwing Israeli Jews visited the compound, known as the Temple Mount by Jews and the Haram al-Sharif by Muslims. It is the third holiest site in Islam and is revered as Judaism’s most sacred place.

“Two Jews from a radical rightwing movement were arrested this morning while trying to disturb the peace on the plaza,” police spokeswoman Luba Samri said.

“One of the two, Moshe Feiglin, had started to pray, and the second had lain down on the ground,” she added.

Feiglin is a well-known Israeli rightwing activist who leads an extreme nationalist branch within the Likud party of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“Three Arabs, a woman and two men, were also held for questioning,” Samri added, without specifying whether the three were Palestinians or Arab citizens of Israel.

“The woman tried to stab a police officer with a knife,” Samri said, adding that police would “be firm with anyone seeking to create provocations during Sukkot,” the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles, which began on Sunday night.

@Allison

You’ve only been over there a couple of days and already so much to report….this really says it all about Israel.

and I thought Sukkot was a happier festival of the high holidays.
The more I watch Israel today the more it looks like a cult that
went awry. I don’t think the state is capable of finding harmony
in the Arab world. Eventually they will have to adapt or pack it up
and relocate, but for now they seem like Jonestown with a larger
population. Netanyahu as Jim Jones.

The picture reminds me of a gangster movie. Ocean’s kippas.
And I can smell the sweat of the protagonists.