Dozens of Arabs rioted Wednesday night in Jaffa, on the outskirts of Tel Aviv, the second consecutive night in which they organized violent disturbances.
The rioters threw rocks, burned trash cans, blocked roads, and launched fireworks at police forces on the scene.
The police arrested four rioters. There were no reports of injuries.
“Due to the violent behavior of the rioters, they were arrested by the police using crowd control means, until the quiet was restored there,” the police stated.
The riots were organized by a local Islamic society over the city’s plans to build a hostel for the homeless on a site that was used as a Muslim cemetery over 90 years ago.
The graves have been relocated decades ago for sanitary reasons. The site has been since used as a field by the Jaffa Muslim Football Club, and later by the British Customs for warehouses.
The issue was contested in court, and District Court Judge Avigayil Cohen authorized the municipality to proceed with the construction and ruled that “contrary to the principles laid down by the Islamic Council, constitutional principles are also important: the property owner’s property rights and the public importance of the project – erecting a building for the rehabilitation of street dwellers.”