A confrontation was deliberately ignited by two Jerusalem Arabs Sunday evening, setting off another round of violence in the Old City aimed at Israeli Police officers.
At around 5 pm Sunday, two Arab residents of the Old City walked into to the entrance of the Majlis (open meeting area), and refused to comply with police instructions at the site.
They instead began a confrontation with the officers at the entrance to the area.
A crowd of Arab residents quickly gathered, shouting and hurling rocks and other objects at the police officers, according to a spokesperson for Israel Police. The officers arrested the two agitators, intending to take them into custody.
One of the officers was hit in the head by a rock and sustained a head injury as a result. He was evacuated to a city hospital, where he was listed with mild injuries. One of those who were arrested was also injured by the rocks and other objects hurled at police.
Israel Police and Border Guard Police forces restored order. A total of three rioters were arrested; they were transferred to the David precinct for further questioning.
Quiet has since been restored to the area.
It’s not yet clear who was behind the attempt to re-ignite more violence this time. There are numerous elements who are invested in keeping tempers boiling between Arabs and Jews in Jerusalem, among them Iran, the Mufti of Jerusalem, the Speaker of the Jordanian Parliament and the Palestinian Authority.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II is expected to visit Ramallah for talks with Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas this week for the first time in five years.