Silwan
Photo: Noam Moskowitz
9 officers hurt in east Jerusalem riots
Palestinians in Silwan throw stones at security forces as revenge for wave of arrests in village
Nine Border Guard officers were injured Saturday during riots in the east Jerusalem village of Silwan.
During the disturbances, Palestinians threw stones at Border Guard forces, lightly injuring two of them. The officers were evacuated to Hadassah Mount Scopus and Hadassah Ein Kerem hospitals with head wounds.
Following the incident, Border Guard officers who began combing the village in search of the perpetrators were attacked with stones by hooded Palestinians. Seven officers were lightly injured and treated on site. Additional Border Guard forces were alerted to the scene and dispersed the riot using crowd control measures, including tear gas.
Sources in the village said the stone-throwing was an act of revenge following the wave of arrests by Border Guard, police and Jerusalem Municipality inspectors. The Palestinians who were detained this week are suspected of either stone-throwing, tax evasion or construction violations.
Fines amounting to tens of thousands of shekels were handed out during the operation.
Also Saturday, a female Border Guard officer was attacked by an Arab teen carrying a sword in east Jerusalem, who stole her weapon.
Police officers nearby apprehended the teen, after which his friends began to pelt them with stones, but injured only each other.
