Description

On Thursday morning, large numbers of Israeli police and members of other units specialized in supporting the bulldozers of the so-called Land of Israel Department, began to carry out the task of demolishing houses in the city of Jaffa.

The bulldozers stormed Pardes Abu Seif while Israeli police forces blocked the roads and kept the population away from the area in order to facilitate the demolition process.

Dozens of Arab residents flocked to the site to try to prevent implementation of the demolition process. Confrontations ensued which began with a fistfight between youths and police who attacked the civilians and arrested some of them.

Eye witnesses said: "A state of tension and anger prevails in the region because of the demolition of the Arab houses, and it is expected that popular and protest steps will be taken in the city later in solidarity with the owners of the houses."

The spokesperson for the police said that since early morning on Thursday, troops reinforced by the Tel Aviv brigade police have been providing support and assistance to the representatives of executive powers (Tel Aviv municipality and other concerned bodies) during the implementation of the recent demolition orders against "illegal" buildings in the city of Jaffa, Rubinstein - Pardes Abu Seif Street. He said that there two suspects from among the Arab residents were arrested for questioning on suspicion of assaulting the police. They were referred for investigation to the Yiftah-district police. He added that the work of the forces in the area was on-going since pre-noon on Thursday until that point without the recording of any notable events.