Arab youths attack ultra-Orthodox men in Haifa

A group Arab youths attacked a number of ultra-Orthodox men in Haifa late Sunday night, wielding batons and shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great), police said.

It was not clear how many people were injured but police said they were treated by paramedics on site.

Five youths, including four under 18, were arrested and taken for questioning.

The incident began at approximately 11:00 pm in an ultra-Orthodox area in the city, when the group attacked a number of haredi men, armed with batons and chains, police said. The youths wore masks and shouted “Alluhu Akbar,” according to reports.

Some of the haredi men fled to a nearby yeshiva, while others fought their attackers, according to police, who said they were also checking reports the group members shouted “death to the Jews.”

“The whole incident is under investigation and we are checking whether this was an act of hooliganism or a nationalistically motivated attack,” a police source told Ynet.

Haifa is a mixed Jewish-Arab city where such incidents are rare.