Israeli policemen arrested on Thursday night 19 citizens in Jaffa city and 43 others in Lod city where the Israeli authorities declared a state of emergency as the clashes continued after attacks were launched by hundreds of settlers led by Lehava activists under the protection of the Israeli police.
The Israeli police claimed that these detainees are suspected of stirring riots throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at the security forces in addition to carrying out shootings and setting fire to synagogues and public places. They are also charged with starting clashes that caused severe damage to property and infrastructure in the city.
Demonstrations and confrontations continued in cities of the 1948 occupied lands and Lod witnessed armed clashes after dozens of settlers under the protection of the Israeli security forces attacked Arab homes and Muslim worshipers in the Great Omari Mosque with live bullets.
On Thursday the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court decided to release four Israelis accused of killing the martyr Musa Hassouna in Lod after they claimed that they shot Hassouna in self-defense.
