Silwan: Stones thrown at touring MKs
Knesset's State Control Committee members get rude welcome while touring east Jerusalem neighborhood; Internal Security Minister also visits area at same time, vows to put end to stone-throwing incidents
A minivan carrying members of the Knesset's State Control Committee returning from a tour of the east Jerusalem Silwan neighborhood was stoned by Arabs Tuesday.
A large rock hit the front window of the vehicle, but no one was injured. Border Guard troops who were securing the area were informed and dispersed the attackers.
The incident took place while Internal Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch visited the east Jerusalem neighborhoods of Silwan and Issawiya in response to the recent escalation in stone-throwing.
The MKs arrived in Silwan in anticipation of the State Controller's report regarding illegal construction in the area, to be published tomorrow.
Aharonovitch's visit went off without any incidents, except for a small firecracker being thrown in the direction of his entourage.
"I walked around in order to see the places where these events took place and I was impressed by the highly complex work by security forces," Aharonovitch said. "There is an rise in the stone-throwing incidents and that is very upsetting. The security activity is complex also because Jews and Arabs live close to each other, and this causes much tension."
"We will stop the stone-throwing with covert and overt forces, and we will bring back the quiet," he added. I call on the Jews and the Arabs to avoid confrontations. It does not add anything to the security of the residents of Jerusalem."
Yair Altman contributed to this story
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