Akko Mayor Shimon Lankry told worshippers at synagogue on Simchat Torah Tuesday that the city would "remain ours forever and ever."
At the Kaf Chaim synagogue, Lankry told Jews almost two weeks after an Arab man drove his car on Yom Kippur Eve into a Jewish neighborhood, reportedly in a reckless manner, with loud music blasting, that "We won't allow anyone to touch our city. There are people who want to spoil it, but we won't let them. We will protect our city, because it is dear to us and to the people of Israel. Akko will continue marching forward, despite our enemies."
An Arab in a mosque announced that Jews had injured an Arab immediately following the entry of the driver into the Jewish neighborhood, which had disrupted the peace of the solemn holy day, igniting riots that lasted days.