Throwing rocks in Silwan (file)
Throwing rocks in Silwan (file)Flash90

Arabs rioted and attacked Jews Sunday as the security situation in Israel, which has been deteriorating for years, reached new lows.

A firebomb and rocks were thrown in the evening at a car that was driven by Ruth Shapira, a mother of five, between Maaleh Shomron and El-Matan in Samaria. The firebomb smashed to bits on the car's hood but no one was hurt.

Shapira told Channel 2 news that it was “a miracle” she was not hurt but lamented: “It is clear to me that the people who tried to murder me tonight will not pay the price.”

A rock was thrown at the Light Rail in Jerusalem's Shuafat neighborhood. Light damage was caused to the passenger car. No one was hurt. A 16-year-old Arab was arrested after a short chase.

At Kafr Kana, riots continued throughout the day and about 30 people were arrested. In Taibeh, too, there was rioting, and the main road there, Highway 444, was blocked. Two youths were arrested.

In Jerusalem, two people were lightly hurt from rocks. A man, aged 36, was lightly hurt when his car was pelted with rocks near Neveh Yaakov junction. At Beit Hanina, rocks were thrown at a car that had two Jews inside it. One was lightly hurt in the arm. At A-Tur, youths hurled firebombs at police.

At Ilut and Tur'an in the north, brush fires were put out, and the firefighters suspect they were set by arsonists.

At Umm el-Fahm, four suspects were arrested after rocks were thrown at cars on Highway 65.

At the Hemed interchange on Highway 1 between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, rocks were thrown at two buses. No one was hurt and there was no damage. 

The latest protests began early Saturday after police shot dead a 22-year-old in Kfar Kana near the northern city of Nazareth. Hir Hamdan was killed after he attacked police with a knife as they tried to arrest a relative.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed that anyone breaking the law would be "punished severely".

“We will not tolerate disturbances and riots. We will take determined action against those who throw stones, firebombs and fireworks, and block roads, and against demonstrations that call for our destruction," he told the weekly cabinet meeting.