The clashes between Arabs and Jews in Acre that erupted on Yom Kippur and continued for several days cannot be allowed to spread to other mixed towns, President Shimon Peres said Monday, after he met with Jewish and Arab leaders in the city.
President Shimon Peres.
Photo: AP
"I was pleasantly surprised by the strength and the will to conduct dialogue and make peace," Peres said, following the meeting in Acre City Hall.
He congratulated Israel's chief rabbis for coming to Acre on the eve of Succot to try and bridge the gaps between the leaders of the Jewish and Arab communities.
"We must prevent the spreading of riots and prevent anyone coming to physical harm. The sadness over all that has happened notwithstanding, I am glad that no one was hurt," he said.
During the meeting with Peres, Acre leaders agreed to assemble an interreligious forum comprising rabbis and sheikhs who would be charged with taking to the streets to calm the charged atmosphere.
Peres explained that the point of the forum was to track the developments on the ground and try to maintain the tentative quiet that has come to city.
"We can differ in terms of religion, but not in terms of the law," the president said, calling for the delicate coexistence to be upheld.
"Both religions must be capable of living with a sense of mutual respect, and pray to a God who is one to us all."
The fact that no one was killed during the riots is "a miracle" and should be attributed to the police, Peres said.
"It is important to state that at this point we are at a precipice and we must stop the deterioration. Everyone must speak to their respective communities and calm the atmosphere," he said.
Acre remained tense but calm over the first day of Succot.
"Police will continue to stress preventing vandalism to religious symbols and civilians from coming to physical harm," Police Chief Insp.-Gen. David Cohen said.
Cohen stressed that the forces were instructed to show no tolerance of anyone who disrupted the peace.
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