Damage to chair in balcony
Photo: Gali Shimoni
Molotov cocktails thrown towards home in Jerusalem
Three Molotov cocktails thrown at private home in Jewish neighborhood, set furniture in balcony on fire, no injuries reported. Police suspect nationalistic motive behind event
Three Molotov cocktails were thrown Saturday evening towards a private home in Jerusalem's French Hill neighborhood. No injuries were reported and light damage was caused to furniture in the house.
The burning bottles were tossed at the house's balcony, where they shattered and set a fire that was extinguished by the home's owners. Jerusalem District Police noted that it is suspected the circumstances behind the event are nationalistic and an investigation into the matter was launched.
Road from which it is suspected Molotov cocktails were thrown (Photo: Gali Shimoni)
Damage caused to balcony (Photo: Gali Shimoni)
Gali Shimoni, the house's owner, said: "We watched a movie in the living room. There was an explosion in the movie and another explosion in the balcony at the very same time. Suddenly we saw fire outside and the balcony was on fire. We have a hose outside so we turned it on and put out the fire."
Shimoni noted that one of the Molotov cocktails hit a chair that immediately set on fire. "If we weren't home, then the fire could have spread. I don't know who threw (the Molotov cocktails), we didn't see. Maybe they were thrown from a car."
"Lately they are really exaggerating, this is an escalation," said Shimoni. "This time there were no casualties, but it's dangerous. We have a lot of luck. Usually we sit in the balcony, luckily this time we were inside the house."
In recent months there were several cases of Molotov cocktails being thrown at the Isawiya-adjacent Jerusalem neighborhood.
The issue of security in the French Hill became a major issue prior to the recent local authorities' elections. The neighborhood's residents complained about the increasing number of terror attacks in the area, which usually include the throwing of Molotov cocktails, stones and setting cars on fire. The Jerusalem Municipality dug a channel to separate the Arab neighborhood of Isawiya from the Jewish neighborhood of French Hill, and installed cameras and street lights in the area.
