Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Lod on Tuesday night after a state of emergency had been declared in the city following ongoing Arab riots.
"What we have seen here is anarchy. Things that cannot be accepted in any reformed country. Policemen are harmed, cars are set on fire, synagogues are burned. No country can accept this. I am here to ensure that we restore governance," said Netanyahu.
"I have instructed that forces be brought in here and other mixed cities and to grant powers for emergencies - this is a matter of life and death. A curfew should be imposed within the framework of the powers as necessary," he added.
Earlier, Netanyahu held a discussion with the Defense Minister, the Public Security Minister, the Inspector General of the Israel Police, the head of the National Security Council, the Attorney General and other senior officials regarding events in Lod.
Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed on declaring a special emergency situation in Lod; Public Security Minister Amir Ohana announced that he would exercise his authority on the matter immediately.
It was also agreed that Border Police companies from Judea and Samaria would arrive in the mixed cities tonight.
Netanyahu directed that lawbreakers be dealt with severely and that units on the ground be reinforced in order to restore quiet and order to the city forthwith.
"We have declared a special state of emergency in Lod. Border Police battalions from Judea and Samaria will arrive in the cities involved tonight. I ordered a hard hand against the violators of law and order and to strengthen the forces on the ground in order to restore peace and order to Lod and all parts of the country as soon as possible," Netanyahu tweeted.
Ohana tweeted, "Tonight we are declaring a special civil emergency in Lod. We will do whatever is necessary in order to restore law and order in Lod and throughout the country. After security consultations, it was decided to recruit 16 Border Police battalions in reserve, relocating the Judea and Samaria battalions to Lod and strengthening the police forces immediately."
Police Commissioner Kobi Shabtai visited Lod after the declaration of the state of emergency and said: “We are witnessing a situation we have not seen in the mixed cities. There were quite a few incidents that we tried to respond to, but unfortunately we were not able to arrive at every incident."
Shabtai announced he would be relocating his office to Lod in the wake of the violence.
Gangs of Arab rioters roamed the streets of Lod on Tuesday evening, following the funeral of the Arab man who was shot dead during Arab riots in the city the previous night, damaging property belonging to Jews and pelting vehicles with rocks.
A 56-year-old man was seriously injured after his vehicle was pelted with rocks in the city. Magen David Adom paramedics evacuated him to Assaf Harofeh Hospital.
In addition, dozens of vehicles belonging to Jews were set on fire, as was a synagogue in the city.
Lod Mayor Yair Revivo commented on the riots in his city and said, "Hundreds of Arab rioters are raging, civil war has broken out. I appealed to the Prime Minister to impose a curfew and declare a state of emergency on the city. Lack of governance. Rioters throwing firebombs."