A young woman from East Jerusalem died Saturday-Sunday night after being caught in a fight between two feudal families.
The woman was killed by a stray bullet in Wadi Joz, according to reports in the Jewish press.
Israeli police said five other people were injured in the clash and opened an investigation into the incident.
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The victim was identified as 21-year-old Maryam al-Takrouri.
According to the Haaretz news site, al-Takrouri was returning from Ramadan prayers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount when she was shot.
She was pronounced dead at Makassed Hospital in East Jerusalem.
Locals said there was ongoing violence between the two families, which recently saw several people injured by fireworks or firecrackers fired at each other by rival families, according to the report.
Tonight’s violence in Wadi Aljaz in Jerusalem. Another victim, this time a 21-year-old woman who was hit by a stray bullet. The battle has been going on for three days, arson and fireworks and live fire. Tonight she climbed because no one cares and a young woman pays with her life. pic.twitter.com/0uAj9cKfGa
– Jack khoury (@KhJacki) April 18, 2021
Separately, clashes erupted for the fifth night in a row on Saturday around the old city of Jerusalem as tensions subdued East Jerusalem since the start of last week’s Ramadan, a one-month Muslim religious period.
Police in riot gear stormed a rally on Friday, removing hundreds of protesters by truck. The rioters threw stones at a bus, smashing a window near the Damascus Gate in the Old City, which was a focal point of recent violence.
MK Itamar Ben-Gvir, of the far-right Otzma Yehudit party, posted a video of the clashes on Twitter and called on Public Security Minister Amir Ohana to open an investigation to “deal with these terrorists”, adding: “Jerusalem is going wild West . ”
a good week. He invites my friend Minister Ohana, whom I have praised countless times, to order the establishment of an IDF to deal with these terrorists – Jerusalem is becoming the Wild West. Https://t.co/geXOU61gGl
– Itamar Ben Gvir (@itamarbengvir) April 17, 2021
The incident takes place amid a series of crimes in the Arab community.
Two brothers from the Israeli Arab city of Baqa al-Gharbiya were shot overnight Thursday-Friday in the Palestinian city of Tulkarem in the West Bank.
Shafa Abu Hussein and her 20-year-old brother Salah were shot in their vehicle in a guided shooting. Palestinian Authority police said the car carrying the armed men also had Israeli license plates, according to reports on Friday. The reason remains unclear.
Two youths from Baqa al-Gharbiya were shot inside the occupied interior in Tulkarm when their vehicle was shot by gunmen with another vehicle. pic.twitter.com/RBiadRsINM
– Ahmed, Al-Maqadma | ???????? ✪ (@qadema_) April 16, 2021
The two became 31 and 32 Arab Israelis who died in violent circumstances this year, according to the Ynet news site, making al-Takrouri 33.
Arab cities and towns have seen an increase in violence in recent years, with organized crime being seen as the main driver. The Arab Israelis blame the police, who they say have failed to stop powerful criminal organizations.
Emergency: shootings and reports of casualties and deaths in Tulkarm pic.twitter.com/5z6jEE0BCc
– Nafethanews | News (@nafethanews) April 16, 2021
Also Friday night, police said they arrested 69 suspects in the central Israeli city of Ramle, following reports of gunfire in the Gan Haqal neighborhood.
It is said that the suspects, from two feudal families, shot and threw stones and Molotov cocktails at each other. A police officer was slightly injured by gunfire during the chaos.
A car is seen damaged in Ramla after two feudal families fought violently on April 16, 2021. (Police spokesman)
On Monday, a 38-year-old woman was shot in the Arab-Israeli city of Tira. Last Friday, two cousins were shot dead in the Arab city of Deir al-Assad. A few hours earlier, a man was shot dead at the entrance to his home in the Bedouin village of Ibtin.
In 2020, 96 Arab Israelis were killed, by far the highest annual value in recent memory.
More than 90 percent of Israeli shootings last year took place in Arab communities, according to police. Arab Israelis make up about a fifth of the country’s population.
