JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli far right figures marched in an Arab neighborhood of Jerusalem, prompting riots.
Two policemen were injured and one resident of the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan was arrested following Sunday’s march led by Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben Gvir. The march, meant to broadcast Israeli sovereignty over all of Jerusalem, began at the Western Wall and ended about half a mile inside Silwan.
Masked Arabs threw rocks at some of the police officers securing the march; two firebombs were also thrown. Local residents flooded the streets and gathered on rooftops to chant at the demonstrators, according to reports.
The march, which was approved by police, had been postponed several times. Police tried to convince the rightists to postpone the demonstration due to fears that the police force would be stretched too thin at a time when U.S. special envoy for Middle East peace George Mitchell was visiting. On Saturday night, Israel’s attorney general turned down a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to cancel the event.
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