Torched Cars, Racist Graffiti in 2nd Hate Crime in the North in a Week

Two cars were torched and a stone fence was sprayed with graffiti reading “Jews, let’s win” overnight Tuesday, April 24, in the northern Arab village of Iksal. Joint List Chairman, MK Ayman Odeh (Hadash) said this latest racist attack was a serious matter and claimed that “determined police action is necessary to end hate crimes towards Arab citizens of Israel and Palestinians in the occupied territories.”

One of the two cars torched in an anti-Arab hate crime in the northern town of Iksal, last Tuesday night

One of the two cars torched in an anti-Arab hate crime in the northern town of Iksal, last Tuesday night (Photo: Al Ittihad)

“Just as the police have proved incapable of rooting out internal crime within Israel’s Arab communities,” the Hadash MK said, “so have they failed in preventing racist ‘price tag’ attacks targeting the same population.”

The organization Coalition against Racism responded to the incident in Iksal, saying: “Price tag incidents are spreading and several cases have been recorded lately, mainly in the occupied West Bank. There’s no doubt that police are not doing enough in this matter. No arrests have been reported and the issue is apparently not being taken seriously.” The organization added that the “inadequate” treatment by police is “sadly legitimizing incidents and has led to their spreading into Arab villages within Israeli territory as well.”

Tag Meir, a Jewish religious organization started as a counter-movement to “price tag” actions, called the incident in Iksal” a step up in the terrorist activity of the far-right. Israel’s police must defend its citizens and Palestinians in Areas B and C from outlaws.”

About a week ago, the epithet “Arabs out” was sprayed on the wall of a mosque in Umm al-Fahm and the entrance door to this place of worship was torched. Police in the northern town said an investigation was underway and a “price tag” operation was suspected.

In March, anti-Arab graffiti was sprayed in the Arab town of Jaljulia in the center of the country and 20 vehicles were vandalized. The graffiti slogan “Arab criminal” was sprayed on one of the town’s homes, cars’ tires were slashed and other epithets were sprayed on windows. During the past month hateful graffiti was also sprayed in east Jerusalem’s Beit Hanina and in the village of Fara’ata, in the Westi Bank. In the West Bank villages of al-Lubban ash-Sharqiya and Aswiya, meanwhile, hate graffiti demanding “Deport or kill” were written.