Members of the local Religious Zionist community in Jaffa gathered Sunday evening to protest the attack on two yeshiva officials earlier today.

Protesters denounced the violent assault on Rabbi Eliyahu Mali and Moshe Schendowich, and called on authorities to take a firm hand against lawlessness in Jaffa.

Some protesters struck a defiant tone, saying that the local religious community would not be bullied or driven out by Arab attacks. “You won’t defeat us that easily,” protesters said.

A group of Arab counter-protesters also gathered, chanting "Settlers, go home," and "Allahu Akbar".

The Arab counter-demonstration turned violent at one point, with some rioters hurling stones and shooting fireworks at the Jewish demonstrators and at police.

Officers kept the two groups separated from each other during the demonstration.

Rabbi Mali, the dean of the local Hesder yeshiva, and Schendowich, the yeshiva’s director, were attacked Sunday afternoon on a Jaffa Street by a group of local Arab men.

The assailants beat and kicked the two yeshiva officials while the two were en route to inspect a local property the yeshiva is purchasing from a Jewish seller.

The attackers surrounded the two and proceeded to harass and mock Rabbi Mali and Schendowich.

When Rabbi Mali and Schendowich took out their cellular phones to call for help, several of the Arabs assaulted them, punching and kicking the two victims.

Schendowich was injured in the attack, and was hospitalized afterwards.

Rabbi Mali filed a police complaint shortly after the assault.

Roughly one hour after the complaint was filed, police managed to locate and apprehend two Arab suspects.

The suspects have been identified as residents of Jaffa in their 30s.

“They punched and kicked me,” said Schendowich in an interview with Channel 13, emphasizing that the attack was nationalistically-motivated. “When people scream at you because you’re wearing a kippah, that you’re a ‘settler’ and that you should get out of there, that doesn’t seem like a ‘criminal’ incident.”

Diaspora Minister Omer Yankelevich (Blue and White) warned of a “quiet Intifada” targeting religious Jews.

“Under our noses there has been a quiet Intifada against visibly religious or haredi Jews. I call on the police to crush this violence with an iron fist. Jews shouldn’t have to be afraid to go in the street. We’re finished with the exile.”