News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) The Knesset's Interior Committee discussed the nationalist demonstration in the Arab neighborhood of Jabel Mukaber last week. In the committee's Thursday session, Jerusalem police chief Maj.-Gen. Aharon Franco said the police expected "a quiet demonstration" and said that 350 policemen had been sent to face 250 demonstrators.

MK Ophir Pines, the committee chairman, asked Franco: "How did it occur that there were more policemen than demonstrators, and yet the demonstrators did as they pleased? The police failed and it needs to carry out a thorough housecleaning."

MK Dov Chenin of the Communist party Hadash accused the police of being soft on the demonstrators because they were Jews and not Arabs.