Police open hate crime probe after cars torched in Arab town near Jerusalem

Vandals also spray graffiti in Abu Ghosh against the recent detention of several far-right Jewish suspects over West Bank settler rioting

This handout photo shows damage to a car in Abu Ghosh after it was ablaze in a suspected hate crime, July 17, 2023. (Israel Police)
This handout photo shows damage to a car in Abu Ghosh after it was ablaze in a suspected hate crime, July 17, 2023. (Israel Police)

Suspects torched cars and caused other property damage in an Arab town near Jerusalem early Monday, in what police were investigating as a hate crime.

According to police, four vehicles were set alight in Abu Ghosh. No one was injured in the blazes.

The suspects also sprayed graffiti on a nearby wall reading “price tag” and “30 days [of] administrative detention.” The former term is used for vandalism that settler extremists commit as ostensible revenge for actions and policies they oppose, while the latter is a controversial practice by Israeli authorities of holding suspects without charge.

Administrative detention, which is predominantly used against Palestinians, has recently been applied to several Jewish Israelis for their suspected involvement in recent West Bank settler rampages, in a move decried by far-right coalition leaders.

Police said a helicopter was assisting in the search for suspects and that officers were gathering evidence in Abu Ghosh, which has long been known for its friendly ties with Jews and as a premier hummus destination.

“The investigation is continuing,” said a statement from police.

While vandalism by Jewish extremists is a common occurrence in Palestinian villages in the West Bank, it occurs much less frequently in Arab Israeli communities.

Arrests of perpetrators are exceedingly rare and rights groups lament that convictions are even more unusual, with the majority of charges in such cases being dropped.

The vandalism in Abu Ghosh came amid a rise in settler violence since a Palestinian terror attack last month outside the Eli settlement in which four Israelis were shot to death by Hamas terrorists.

Afterwards, hundreds of settlers rampaged in Palestinian towns and villages for five days, setting fire to homes and cars, and even opening fire in some cases. One Palestinian was killed in unclear circumstances.

The riots have been condemned by politicians, including some from the hardline right-wing coalition, but there has been little clear-cut condemnation from settlement leaders.

The government has pledged to hold those behind the settler rampages accountable. Two suspects have since been charged in the rioting. Five Israelis have been held under administrative detention for their involvement. Hundreds were filmed taking part in the attacks.

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