JERUSALEM, Israel – A recent surge of racial and nationalistic violence between Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem is making waves across the Middle East.
Israel’s new peace partner, the United Arab Emirates, issued a rare rebuke on Sunday and called on Israel to reduce tensions in the city.
“The United Arab Emirates has expressed concern over the acts of violence committed by right-wing extremist groups in the occupied East Jerusalem, which have resulted in injuries among civilians,” the statement said.
The UAE also “called upon the Israeli authorities to assume responsibility toward de-escalation and putting an end to all aggressions and practices that perpetuate tension and hostility,” the statement said.
The statement made no mention of reported attacks against Jews, nor the fresh rounds of rockets fired by the Gaza terror group Hamas over the weekend.
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Jerusalem, already a powder keg of competing political and religious claims, is especially tense during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Last week, dozens of people were injured outside of Jerusalem’s Old City gates during scuffles between Palestinians and Israeli police. Palestinians are upset about the decision by the Israeli police to place barricades outside the Old City’s Damascus Gate, where Muslims traditionally gather to socialize after breaking their daytime fast.
“All we wanted to do is to be able to sit on the stairs of Damascus Gate at night to drink coffee or tea,” Rami, a 24-year-old resident, told The Associated Press. “It’s a tradition for Old City residents to go outside for refreshments.”
Israeli police have clashed with Palestinians outside Damascus Gate virtually every evening since Ramadan began. Tensions escalated on April 22, when hundreds of Palestinians threw rocks and bottles at police, who fired stun grenades and a water cannon to disperses them. That same night, a far-right Jewish extremist group known as Lehava led a march towards Damascus Gate chanting “Death to Arabs” and “Arabs get out.” Lehava said the march was to show “national pride.”
Lehava activists said their march was to show “national honor” in response to several Tik Tok videos showing Arabs attacking religious Jews at random. In addition to violence against Jews, Arabs have also been the victims of attacks, with “death to Arabs” being heard during the assaults.
Jewish and Arab-Israeli leaders have condemned the violence and the US appealed for calm.
The Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) is reporting Fatah, the political arm of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has posted dozens of posts in support of the violence. They include an October 2014 video where Abbas calls on Palestinians to “defend Jerusalem with our lives.”
Israeli media reported that both Jewish extremists and Palestinians had used social media to incite violence.
Dozens of Israelis called for unity during weekend protests.
“What we want to do is to stop the violence, saying in a loud and clear sound that we are opposing it, we’re against it and we are up to solving the conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians in a peaceful manner rather than going to the streets and raging.” Tom Kettner, a protester from Ranaana, central Israel told AP.
Israeli police removed the barricades outside of Damascus Gate on Sunday in hopes of easing tensions. Jerusalem Palestinians celebrated the removal of the barricades, with some chanting, “Al Aqsa belongs to the Arabs.”
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