AFULA – Dozens of Jewish youngsters attacked five Arab-Israelis in the northern town of Afula for no apparent reason, hurling stones at their vehicle and injuring them.
Police forces later detained 13 suspects in connection with the case. A police official characterized the incident as a “severe case of thuggery.”
The five Arab-Israeli youngsters, who reside in a village near Afula, were attacked on the way back home after spending the evening in the town.
Four Jewish youngsters stood in the way of their vehicle, refused to move, and started hurling stones at it, said 22-year-old Hussam Jahim.
“It was scary. All the car’s windows were shattered,” he said, and added the passengers were hurt by the broken glass.
‘They had a crazed look in their eyes’
However, this was apparently only the beginning of the nightmare.
“After a few minutes, about 50 more youngsters arrived in the area and surrounded our car. They had a crazed look in their eyes,” said Muid Zuabi, 19, another passenger in the vehicle. “They kicked the car, stoned us, and shouted ‘Arabs bastards’ at us. I was sure they were going to murder us. I didn’t believe we’ll come out of it alive.”
“We were in a trap,” he said, “on the one hand a barrage of stones (hurled) at the car, but on the other hand we were scared to get out because we knew they would finish us off.”
Some of those detained were drunk
Following long minutes of horror, where the car driver froze in fear, he regained his senses, reversed away from the scene, and escaped to the nearest police station.
While the frightened youngsters related their story, an Afula police force left for the scene of the attack and detained 13 youngsters involved in the incident. Some of those arrested were intoxicated and denied any connection to the assault.
Two of the attack victims, who sustained light wounds, were taken to hospital for treatment.
