Ultra-Orthodox Jews Riot in Jerusalem

Ultra-Orthodox Jews returning from prayers for the Shavuot holiday rioted in Arab areas of the city on Friday, smashing cars and overturning stands.

In keeping with the holiday’s tradition, thousands of Jews worshiped all night Thursday at the Western Wall, Judaism’s holiest shrine.

When the prayer sessions ended on Friday morning, several hundred worshipers turned on Arab residents of Jerusalem’s walled Old City, smashing several cars and overturning produce stalls.

Police were called in to contain the rioters, Jerusalem police spokesman Shmuel Ben-Ruby said. There were no injuries and no arrests, he said.

Arab residents said that the police did nothing to stop the rioters and that they dispersed by themselves.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews are usually not identified with violence against Arabs. A police officer said the rioters were ultra-Orthodox Jews who live in West Bank settlements next to Jerusalem.

Settlers there have been radicalized by Israel ceding West Bank lands to Palestinian rule.

Tensions over the territorial concessions have been sharpened by next week’s Israeli elections, which are seen as a referendum on the peacemaking.

Israel tightened a blockade of the West Bank and Gaza Strip for the one-day holiday, barring goods from moving between the Palestinian areas and Israel.

Shavuot commemorates the giving of the first five books of the Bible to Moses.