Peki’in residents reconcile after riots
Druze town head, local Druze and Jewish leaders and residents meet to reconcile after violent riots in place this week. Members of Asraf family, on whose property the cellular antenna that triggered the events was placed, promise to make sure it will not be erected again
Head of the Peki’in local council and the Druze town’s leaders have invited for a reconciliation meeting Friday members of the Asraf family, the town residents whose house became the focus of riots this week after a cellular antenna was placed there and then torched by angry residents.
During the meeting, both sides declared they intend to strive for maintaining the good neighbor relations between Druze and Jews in the Galilee region.
“Three days after the difficult events, we can finally be relieved and say we have reconciled,” Peki’in local council head Muhammad Khir, who hosted the gathering at his house, said.
The meeting was attended by Ronen Asraf, on whose property the antenna had been installed, and his father, Eli, who has been living in the community for many years. Additionally, Druze and Jewish local council heads from the area have also been invited.
“We held a solidarity meeting, and agreed unanimously that that a state commission of inquiry must be set up. Furthermore, we are demanding that the internal security minister order to remove the police barricades around the town,” said Khir.
‘Everybody welcomed to visit Peki’in’
During the meeting, Ronen Asraf said he opposed the severe violence that had taken place in town at the beginning of the week and that interrupted a years-long tradition of good relations between the Druze and Jewish residents of Peki’in.
He also promised to make sure that the antenna that had caused the riots would not be put up again. He said that the town’s head, in turn, promised to locate those responsible for torching the antenna.
Both sides said that the atmosphere in the meeting was pleasant and friendly. “We had coffee and went out for a joint tour of the town… we proved that Peki’in is a quiet place, and we invite everyone to visit here,” Khir concluded.
