Druze protest: 6 arrested during 3rd day of violence
Youngsters protesting laying of natural gas pipeline on their lands throw firebomb at officers, while others try to run cop over and set fire to grove
Six people were detained overnight Thursday during a number of violent incidents that occurred in the northern town of Isfiya as part of the Druze protests against the laying of a natural gas pipeline on lands belonging to them before the completion of negotiations over compensation.
The first took place near a police position in the Mount Carmel area. Several dozen Druze youngsters gathered at the site and threw a firebomb at officers who were trying to disperse them. The 19 year old who threw the Molotov cocktail was arrested.
According to Haifa police station chief Major General Ahuva Tomer, shortly thereafter two Druze youngsters tried to run over one of the officers and fled the scene. She said that at some point the youngsters, who were apparently intoxicated, stepped out of their vehicle and provoked the officers. The suspects were eventually apprehended, and a dagger was found during a search of the belongings of one of the youngsters, said Tomer.
In yet another incident on the outskirts of Isfiya, officers detained three Druze who had set fire to a grove. The fire was extinguished without causing any damage. Investigators are looking into the possibility that the three youngsters are connected to Wednesday's fire near Dalyat El Carmel.
The pipeline, which is intended to supply natural gas to the power station in Haifa and many factories in the area, will pass between Dor Beach and Haifa Bay. So far, the pipeline has been laid between Dor Beach and Yokneam, and between Ha'emaqim Junction and Haifa. The work on the 11.5 km (7 miles) still remaining is expected to be completed within a few months.
On Tuesday a number of police officers were injured during clashes with Druze who blocked a road near Yokneam.
The clashes brought to the surface internal struggles within the Druze community pitting more moderate sheikhs, led by spiritual leader Sheikh Mowafak Tarif, against more extreme sheikhs, led by Sheikh Imad, who is one of the land owners of the disputed lots.
Sheikh Ali Moadi of Yarca, who is in Sheikh Imad's camp, told Ynet on Wednesday: "We are not against Jews and not against the State. We are part of the country. We established it, but we will not move from here until there is an agreement on each dunam. We will stay here for as long as needed. A day, two days, five days. This is our land. We don't have any land left. Since the establishment of the State, 84% of the Druze land have been expropriated."
Another protester, Zaher Rafat Zaher, said: "We are willing to die for our land."
