Ya’alon urges licensed civilians to carry firearms; Riots reported in Arab towns

“When an incident takes place, the terrorists are shot dead, and our people aren’t,” the defense minister told Channel 2. “That’s what’s important.”

JPOST

Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon on Friday urged all civilians with license to carry firearms to arm themselves so as to prevent attacks by Palestinians.

In an interview with Channel 2, Ya’alon said: “We are in the midst of a wave of terrorism in which civilians have become the front, and there is supreme importance for the public to be ready and aware.”

“When an incident takes place, the terrorists are shot dead, and our people aren’t,” Ya’alon said. “That’s what’s important.”

The defense minister said that the government has no wish to see an escalation, though he added that if the situation does deteriorate, Israel would not hesitate to use more force.

Israeli police said on Friday that officers shot and wounded a Palestinian rioter who hurled a Molotov cocktail at anti-riot forces in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of A-Tor.

“We can confirm that the suspect was shot in the leg,” the police said.

Two other Palestinians were arrested after hurling stones at police.

In Israeli Arab townships in the Galilee, rioters and police briefly clashed after a number of youths wearing balaclavas hurled stones, burned tires, and blocked roadways.

In Sakhnin, dozens of youths clashed with security forces. Three Arabs alleged to have taken part in the unrest were arrested.

Nazareth, the largest Israeli Arab town in the country, also witnessed violence between security forces and youths.

Dozens of Nazarenes burned tired and hurled stones at police near the entrance to the city on Tawfiq Ziyad Street.

In Kafr Kana, dozens of Arab rioters hurled rocks at security forces. No word on arrests or injuries.