16 suspected rioters arrested in east Jerusalem
Police remain on heightened state of alert in capital following Silwan shooting incident, to limit entry of worshippers to Temple Mount for Friday prayer
Police and Border Guard forces arrested 16 people overnight Thursday on suspicion of rioting in the capital in the past two days after a Jewish security guard shot Samar Sarchan to death in the east Jerusalem village of Silwan. Nine of the suspects were detained in Silwan and seven in At-Tur.
The Magen David rescue services are on a heightened state of alert as well in case of injuries in the event of escalation. According to MDA spokesman Danny Rotenberg, dozens of volunteers are helping boost the forces in the capital.
"The teams were trained and the orders and instructions have been updated," he said.
Police on high alert in capital (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
The Jerusalem District Police, headed by Commander Aharon Franco, held an evaluation of the situation on Thursday evening and decided to remain on a heightened state of alert in the capital. In the coming days, massive police and Border Guard forces will continue to deploy throughout the city.
Several disturbances took place in the Silwan and Issawiya neighborhoods on Thursday evening. A Border Guard officer was injured after Silwan residents set tires on fire and hurled stones and firecrackers at Border Guard forces and Jewish homes in the neighborhood.
Sources in the neighborhood said that the killing of the local resident would be met with a response, adding that riots were expected to intensify during Friday's Muslim prayers at Temple Mount.
"We intend to continue to show that the killing of our sons will not be ignored without exacting a price," one source said. "It can't be that we're shot and our blood is spilled, while life in Jerusalem runs normally."
Some 1,000 Palestinians attended Sarchan's funeral on Wednesday. Several Jews were injured in riots which erupted at the end of the funeral procession, including a man who was stabbed and sustained moderate injuries. Eight suspected rioters were arrested that day.
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