Three Palestinian vehicles were set alight late Tuesday in the West Bank in what appears to be a hate crime perpetrated by Jewish extremists.
The alleged attack took place in the Palestinian village of Beit Iksa, northwest of Jerusalem, with “Jews, let’s win” and “TikTok” as well as Star of David spray-painted on the road where the cars were located.
Police opened an investigation into the incident, which will be carried out in cooperation with the Shin Bet.
The attack apparently was carried out in revenge for TikTok videos being circulated on the social network, showing Arab youths harassing ultra-Orthodox Jews in Jerusalem during Ramadan in a new disturbing trend.
The scene of the alleged hate crime in Beit Iksa
The attack in Beit Iksa, which is located near the capital's Ramot neighborhood, came after weeks of heightened tensions in Jerusalem that culminated in violent clashes on the streets of the Old City.
During the start of the holy month of Ramadan, young Palestinians have clashed with police and harassed Jewish bypassers, with the latter becoming a social media phenomenon.
In response, Israel barricaded a plaza outside of Jerusalem's Old City where Palestinian residents traditionally gather in the evenings during Ramadan. The move sparked immediate wide scale unrest over Palestinian concerns about Israel's control over East Jerusalem, which is home to sacred Jewish and Muslim sites.
Article was reprinted with permission from i24NEWS