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Arab taxi station attacked by Jews; police fail to come

By Ronen Medzini
YNET
17.1.10
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3835669,00.html


An Arab taxi station in Jerusalem was attacked early Saturday morning by young Jews who threw stones. In response, taxi drivers caught and beat the stone-throwers and a fight developed. The police are investigating and checking allegations against both sides in the quarrel.

The station operator complained about the long time it took for police to arrive following their second call for assistance. The police responded, `We got the call and sent a patrol car out immediately.`

The incident began around 1:30 am. Two youths arrived, according to the station manager Bassem Abdu, and began harassing the drivers, throwing stones at them and at the vehicles. One driver was even sprayed with pepper gas and kicked, and later required medical assistance. The youths returned a number of times during the course of the night.

Police confirmed that two young Jews had thrown stones at the taxi station, but added that the drivers had responded with chains and clubs, beating them in return. Two Jews were arrested, 16 and 20 years old, who for their part submitted claims against the drivers. Their detention was extended Sunday. The younger has a fractured hand and contusion, and was taken to hospital for treatment.

About 15 minutes after the station manager called, the police arrived. The driver was already hurt and the two youths had left.

`A police officer came and told me, `submit a complaint,` and left,` Abdu told Ynet. `About 40 minutes after he left, the youth returned and started throwing stones. I called again and asked the police to come quickly, and was told that they were sending a patrol car.`

But this time the police didn`t turn up. `I called again, and again they didn`t come,` Abdu said. The police finally came only two hours later, after the station had been attacked four more times, Abdu asserts.



`My drivers are scared`

Abdu opened the business about a year and a half ago, and employed Arab drivers. About a year later, a competitor opened a business about 200 meters away employing Jews and began making his life miserable, he said.

`They straight away began conspiring against me. They come every week, shouting `death to Arabs`, `we don`t want you here`, `we`ll murder you`.`

He added that only a month ago he was attacked by a `large group.` `They came with knives, clubs and stones, and caused a lot of damage. Many people were beaten. The attackers are all known to the police, but despite all the complaints against them, the police don`t do anything. They keep coming and damaging my business.`

Abdu added that he is certain that if it were Jews being attacked, the police would act differently. `In our village they bring investigators and police in response to the smallest incident, but here nothing happens. It makes me crazy. My drivers are scared. They don`t want to work here. It is destroying my business. I am a father of five – how else can I support them?`

Jerusalem city councilor Laura Wharton (Meretz) also criticized police behavior.

`I am shocked that pogroms are carried out in Jerusalem and the police don`t do anything,` she said. `I am concerned for the Arab residents, of course, but also for Jewish morality and the principles upon which the state should be based. It`s clear that the incidents are racist in nature, and if it was the other way round, everyone would call it a pogrom.`

An investigation has been launched, Jerusalem police responded.



RY
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