News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Leaders of the Jewish and Arab communities in Akko met late on Saturday night in an attempt to restore calm to the mixed city after several violent riots that began on Yom Kippur. The meeting was attended by Mayor Shimon Lankry, Akko Chief Rabbi Yosef Yashar, MK David Azoulai, MK Abas Zkoor, senior police commanders, and several others.

Zkoor argued that the heavy damage caused to an Arab apartment in a firebomb attack on Saturday night was the most serious of the many attacks carried out during the rioting. His words angered Rabbi Yashar, who responded, “The Arab community desecrated Judaism's most holy day, intentionally and with planning beforehand destroyed stores and cars, and defiled a synagogue. We have no interest in meeting with the Arab community, in light of the behavior of the community and its leaders in recent days.”