Muhammad graffiti triggers West Bank riots
Palestinians burn tires, throw stones in riots set off by 'Muhammad is a pig' graffiti sprayed on local mosque's wall. One Israeli woman, three Palestinians wounded in clashes
Several hundred Palestinians gathered in the West Bank villages of Nebi Elias, Azun and Punduk to protest the spraying of an anti-Muhammad graffiti on the wall of a local mosque early Sunday.
Jewish extremists are said to be responsible for the graffiti.
The Palestinians are torching tires and throwing stones at Israeli vehicles. One Israeli woman was injured and four others suffered anxiety as a result of the incident.
Palestinians also hurled cinder blocks at an IDF force in the village of Azun. Soldiers responded with fire. Three Palestinians were hurt and evacuated by Red Crescent ambulances.
A graffiti blaspheming Prophet Muhammad was found on the wall of the mosque in the West Bank Palestinian village of Nebi Elias Sunday morning. The wall was sprayed with the slogan "Muhammad is a pig," and a star of David was painted underneath it.
Representatives of the Civil Authority and the IDF who were summoned to the scene promptly apologized for the incident and erased the graffiti.
Soldiers erasing graffiti from mosque's wall (Photo: Reuters)
Early Sunday morning, Palestinian villagers phoned representatives of the Civil Authority in Qalqilya and reported that around 4:30 a.m. a vehicle carrying Israeli license plates arrived at the village. Several men got off the car, entered the local mosque and sprayed the offending slogan on the wall.
Immediately after the report was received, Civil Authority officials accompanied by soldiers left for the village where they apologized for the insult and condemned the phenomenon. Soldiers then cleaned up the wall and wiped the graffiti off. The Judea and Samaria police will investigate the incident.
Civil Authority sources said in a statement: "We condemn any violation against a place of worship and denounce the incident."
Riots in Jerusalem
On Saturday, dozens of Arab youths threw stones at police in east Jerusalem during a protest against Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammad.
Police fired stun grenades to disperse protesters who waved Palestine Liberation Organization flags and tried to burn Danish flags, which they laid on the ground.
Two stone throwers were arrested and transferred for interrogation, police said.
Later, dozens of Arab residents of east Jerusalem threw stones at police officers to protest the publication of the cartoons published. No injuries were reported but seven suspects were detained.
