An Arab resident of eastern Jerusalem was seriously injured early Tuesday morning, after a firebomb thrown by Arab rioters struck his car and set it on fire.
The incident occurred in Issawiya, an Arab neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem, during pre-dawn riots which erupted after Israeli security forces operated in the area.
Police and Border Police officers entered Issawiya in response to firebomb and stone-throwing attacks by Arabs from Issawiya on Israeli vehicles traveling on the nearby road between Jerusalem and Maale Adumim.
During the police operation in Issawiya, Arab rioters hurled firebombs and stones at the officers.
One of the firebombs struck an Arab car, however, apparently by accident.
The driver, a resident of Issawiya, was trapped inside the burning car, and suffered very serious injuries. He was rescued by police officers and evacuated to a local hospital for treatment.
“The police officers rescued a local man from his burning car after it was set on fire by a firebomb which had been thrown at him, and he was evacuated in very serious condition to the hospital in a police vehicle,” a police spokesperson said Tuesday.
Police arrested eight of the rioters for firebomb and stone-throwing attacks.
One officer was injured during the incident.
“During the night, reports were received of firebomb attacks on the Maale Adumim-Jerusalem road from the direction of the Issawiya,” the police spokesperson said, “and in addition, several rioters threw firebombs at police officers operating in Issawiya, with one of the firebombs hitting a passing car, causing it to go up in flames.”
“Officers at the scene pulled the driver from the burning car and evacuated him quickly to the hospital while he was seriously injured. One of the officers who rescued him was injured, and was treated at the scene.”