- Title: JERUSALEM: Seven Israeli youths arrested for beating up East Jerusalem Arabs
- Date: 20th August 2012
- Summary: JERUSALEM (AUGUST 20, 2012) (REUTERS) SIGN READING 'JERUSALEM MAGISTRATES COURT' VARIOUS OF SUSPECT LINKED TO AUGUST 16 ATTACK ON THREE ISRAEL-ARABS BEING TAKEN TO COURT ROOM VARIOUS OF SECOND SUSPECT BEING TAKEN INTO COURT FEMALE SUSPECT HIDING HER FACE WHILE BEING ESCORTED TO COURT ROOM RONEN AVRIELI, SENIOR JERUSALEM POLICE COMMANDER, SPEAKING TO MEDIA (SOUNDBITE) (H
- Embargoed: 4th September 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Jerusalem
- City:
- Country: Israel
- Reuters ID: LVA31PJ4IGBBIY8F942CBUM42T9C
- Story Text: Israeli police arrested at least seven Jewish youths suspected of beating up a Palestinian resident of Arab East Jerusalem because last week because he was an Arab, in the latest racial incident in the city, police said on Monday (August 20).
One man was remanded, four youths, two boys and two girls, appeared in court on Monday and two others were being questioned on suspicion of beating up Jamal Joulani in the incident which occurred early on August 17, police said.
"A girl provoked and incited male youths to attack young Arabs following a criminal incident that (she experienced a while ago)," local police commander Ronen Avrieli told reporters.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said the incident in which the girl was involved was of a sexual nature but he did not give more details.
"The incident snowballed and the Jewish group of youth proceeded to Zion Square and there they verbally abused and violently attacked the member of the minority group (Arab)," Avrieli added.
"It is not a crime on racial basis, it is not a hate crime. Its a crime of a gang of street youths that just were going around and doing nothing, boring, and they wanted some action. So they got it," Yitzhak Bam, defence attorney representing one of the minors told Reuters in the Jerusalem magistrates court.
In highlighting the hatred between some Jewish youths and Arabs in the tinder box city, one of the suspects shouted to reporters when being taken into Jerusalem Magistrates Court that he was not upset at being implicated.
"Yes, I was involved because he cursed my mother ... He got the kick he deserved, not more ... He was beaten up, he should be beaten up completely. As far as I am concerned, he can die," the youth said.
The incident came hours after six Palestinians suffered serious burns when a fire-bomb set their vehicle on fire in the occupied West Bank on August 16. A military source and Israeli media blamed the attack on Jewish settlers and vice-premier Moshe Yaalaon said it was "an act of terrorism".
Palestinians and Israeli human rights groups say that settlers are rarely prosecuted in cases of violence against Palestinians in the West Bank.
About 340,000 Israeli settlers and 2.5 million Palestinians live in the West Bank. The United Nations deems all Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be illegal. Israel, which cites biblical and historical links to the areas, disputes this.
The Palestinians want to establish a state in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. Peace talks with Israel broke down in late 2010 in a dispute on settlements, which the Palestinians say deny them a contiguous, viable state. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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