Arab Mob Pelts Firefighters With Rocks as They Put Out Blaze

Firefighters at work

Flash 90

An Israeli firefighter was injured in an Arab riot in Jerusalem Thursday morning, as he sought to put out a fire. The fire had broken next to the Arab village of Issawiya, which is within the municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. A fire station is located close by, and a fire truck was dispatched to douse the blaze before it had a chance to spread too far.

The firefighters were greeted by a large mob of Arabs, who pelted them with stones and bricks. One firefighter was injured and was taken to Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital for treatment. Police were called in to clear the area and allow the firefighters to continue putting out the blaze.

Also Thursday, Jerusalem police arrested three Arabs who attacked a Jew in the Old City Wednesday. Police said that the attackers had nationalistic motives. At least five Arabs were involved in the attack, and police said they expect to make more arrests.

During a special Knesset session Wednesday called to deal with complaints by reserve soldiers that the army is failing to effectively respond to Arab terror, MKs accused the government of “surrendering to Arab terror.”

MK Moshe Feiglin (Likud Beiteinu) warned that failing to respond to ongoing Arab terror attacks would only encourage more terror. “Whoever turns his back on his roots and allows the Arab enemy to effectively take control of the territory will find himself unable to deal with that enemy,” Feiglin said during the Knesset discussion. Failing to tackle terror at home, said Feiglin, did not bode well for how Israel would deal with Iran later on.