Rioting started four days ago when an Arab drove into a Jewish neighborhood. Rumors spread that the Arab was killed, and local Muslims rioted in Jewish neighborhoods. Local Jews retaliated in Arab neighborhoods. The city was calm on Sunday.
Context of the story:
Why is this important? Religious and ethnic tension in Israel often leads to violence between Arabs and Jews.
Who is involved? Israeli Jews make up 76% of Israel’s population and Israeli Arabs account for 19% of the country’s population. By some accounts, Acre has an Arab population close to 30 percent.
Where is this happening? Acre, also called Akko, is in Northern Israel. It is close enough to Lebanon, that during the 2006 war, many rockets hit Acre (Akko).
What can you do? First, promote non-violence in your own life by reconciling with people that anger you. Non-violence between communities starts with non-violence between individuals. Second, get involved in cultural, scientific, and educational exchanges. Peaceful resolution of problems usually involves an understanding of, and a respect for, other people.
