2 East Jerusalem residents arrested for incitement

Police arrested two East Jerusalem residents for suspected incitement to violence over posts on their Facebook pages, a police spokesperson said Sunday.

The two suspects, who police said were not associated with each other, were arrested for uploading posts to their Facebook accounts that are said to praise terrorists and terror attacks in Israel.

Police said that during a search of the homes of the two suspects, who are 20 and 24 years-old, “media materials and incitement materials were seized.”

An investigation into the two suspects was opened and police requested they be held in detention until the end of proceedings against them, Israel Radio reported.

In December, police arrested six residents of East Jerusalem on suspicion of incitement to violence and terrorism on social networks.

Police previously said they have been working to end incitement, which they say is even more dangerous than direct support for terror attacks due to its wide exposure and its potential to inspire attackers.

Since a nearly year-long wave of terrorist attacks began in October 2015, Israeli security forces have vigilantly patrolled social networks for signs of radicalization and incitement, as many attackers posted their intentions prior to carrying out attacks, while others said they were inspired by calls for violence they saw on social networks.