Conflicting versions of the riots in Peki'in have appeared in the Israeli media.

While the generally accepted version is that the riots were caused by a police raid following an attack on a cell phone transmission tower, Ynet published an account Wednesday afternoon of the suffering of the Jewish inhabitants of Peki'in at the hands of a violent Druze nationalist gang – then abruptly pulled it from the front page and hid all direct links to it.

According to this version of the story, the Jewish families living in the ancient village said that the transmitter was "just an excuse" for violence and that six of the eight Jewish families' homes in ancient Peki'in were either burned or ransacked in the morning after the riots that received media coverage.

Peki'in is populated primarily with Druze families, but there are also a number of Muslim, Christian and Jewish families living in the village, including a famous Jewish family that has been living in Peki'in consecutively since the days of the Temple.

Masked youths firing in the air

Jewish Peki'in resident Orit Ziegelman recounted the harrowing night between Monday and Tuesday thus: "All night long masked youths roamed about, armed with clubs and live weapons, guns and grenades. There was constant firing in the air. Overnight our car was burned, again. Then the police came, with all of the stories that were in the media. We went out in the morning [on Tuesday] as if everything was normal… but there was something bad in the air. It was clear that something bad was about to happen. 30 minutes after we left we were told that our house had been completely burned. To the ground."  Ziegelman said she would not go back to her home after it was torched. "I don't intend to be a victim," she said.

Margalit Zenati, an elderly Peki'in native from the family that has lived there since Second Temple times, said the troublemakers are Druze nationalist youths: "Until yesterday, we thought there were only a few dozen of them, but now it's clear there are between 100 and 200 of them," she said.

Dichter visits wounded

The fallout from rioting in Peki'in Tuesday continued to spread Wednesday, as Public Security Minister Avi Dichter visited hospitalized police officers and Druze citizens before meeting with Police Chief Dudi Cohen for a full report.

Violence broke out early Tuesday morning when more than 100 police officers entered the ancient village at 4:00 a.m. to make arrests following the destruction of a cell phone tower.

The wanted men had used firebombs and a hand grenade to destroy the tower, which was installed in the nearby Jewish town of Peki'in HaChadasha.

At least 40 people were wounded in the violence, including more than two dozen police officers, 10 medics and seven residents.

Border Police officer Liat Duadi was separated from her fellow police officers during the melee and dragged 20 meters on the ground by the masked assailants, who kicked and beat her. Duadi said some of the attackers tried to stab her in the chest and stomach but failed due to the bulletproof flak jacket she wore. "I saw murder in their eyes," she told the Maariv daily newspaper.

Policewoman held hostage, traded

Duadi suffered a stab wound in the thigh before she managed to escape the mob and reach a retired Druze police commander who brought her to the local prayer house. She ended up a hostage in any case, however, with the mob yelling, "You won't get out of here alive until we get what we want." 

Though the retired Druze officer made sure she was not harmed, she was not released until the police agreed to the demands of the mob. Police released at least six rioters and Duadi herself told Yediot Acharonot that “it is no secret that I was not released for free – they received everything they demanded." Police confirmed that six rioters were released from custody during negotiations for the officer’s release.

By Tuesday evening, 16 police officers were still hospitalized along with a dozen residents and medics. A Druze rioter and a police officer were both listed in serious condition.

Minister of Public Security Avi Dichter said Wednesday that whoever says the violence at Peki'in was motivated by sectarian tension "is wrong and deceives others."

Dichter visited the wounded policemen but also wounded Druze villagers, and said that "no body, including the Israel Police, is immune from mistakes, and if we made mistakes we will look into it and make corrections."

Dichter said he would be receiving an update from Northern Region commanders Wednesday night.