Price Tag graffiti
Price Tag graffitiFlash 90

Police on Sunday arrested a youth they said had scrawled graffiti and a swastika on the walls of the Jerusalem Civil Court building. According to police, the 15 year old youth had also scrawled anti-Arab slogans and comments on the walls of the Jerusalem municipality. The youth was being questioned by police. Police did not say what the youth's motives were.

Earlier, police arrested two youths in Samaria (Shomron), accusing them of uprooting olive trees in a field owned by an Arab. The two were brought in for questioning. Police said they have refused to identify themselves.

Police said the actions were examples of so-called “price tag” attacks, in which nationalist youths allegedly carry out vandalistic attacks against Arabs in retaliation for terror attacks and robberies by Arabs, as well as occasionally against IDF property in revenge for demolitions of Jewish homes and property. It should be noted that while police often arrest Jewish youths in Judea and Samaria on charges of participating in such attacks, these youths are released on a routine basis, as police cannot generally prove the charges.

Last week, prominent rabbis of the National Religious movement on Monday issued a petition condemning so-called “price tag” attacks.

“There is a wonderful community of thousands of Jews in Judea and Samaria who are loyal to the State of Israel,” the petition said. “This community is often subject to attack by Arab thieves, vandals, and terrorists. We truly empathize with the plight of this community. However we ask the youth and young adults not to allow themselves to become sucked into acts of revenge and criminal activities as a result,” the petition said.

“The so-called 'price tag' attacks are against Jewish law and ethics,” the rabbis wrote. “They are illegal and cause a desecration of G-d's Name. Beyond this, the attacks damage the standing of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria and stains the names of a large number of law-abiding people,” they added.