Eleven arrested after night march through Lod

Lod maintains a substantial population of Palestinian citizens of Israel, a demographic reality that has drawn repeated friction from outside groups in recent months. On Sunday night, a mob of Jewish Israelis marched through these neighborhoods, leading to physical confrontations that left several residents with minor injuries.

Palestinian residents reported that the group arrived from outside the city in the late evening. The marchers threw stones, shouted slurs, and insulted locals before fighting broke out when residents confronted them. Khaled al-Zabarqa, head of the Popular Committee in Lod, identified this as the third such incident in the last month. He noted that previous clashes occurred near the Al-Omari Mosque and in the central market, but this event involved outsiders and an attempt to assault a private home.

Al-Zabarqa stated that the group aimed to ignite tensions for political purposes. He accused police of complicity, arguing that officers had been warned in advance of the potential consequences. "The police knew about yesterday's incident beforehand," he said. "Rather than preventing it, they protected the group and subsequently helped its members evade accountability." He added that the failure to protect Arab residents points to a systematic policy.

Israeli police confirmed that dozens of people had gathered in the city. They stated that some participants disrupted public order and ignored instructions. Officers intervened and arrested 11 suspects. All suspects were released on Monday morning under restrictive conditions as investigations continue.

Far-right figures affiliated with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had urged supporters to join a "sovereignty march" online. Ben Gvir has been vocal in his criticism of Palestinian citizens following their record turnout in last month's elections, claiming the vote was stolen. Prominent activists Mordechai David and Ziv Baranes participated in Sunday's march.

Lod Mayor Yair Revivo condemned the event, describing the participants as extremists who arrived from outside to inflame tensions. "I'm seething with rage," Revivo said. "A group came from outside, set the area on fire and disappeared, leaving us to deal with the consequences."

Al-Zabarqa warned that the situation is heading toward further escalation. He observed that incitement against Arabs has increased since October 7, but noted that the shift to direct physical provocations is a new development that emerged over the past two weeks.