The Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Monday extended the detainment of two Arab suspects arrested on Sunday night for assaulting a 68-year-old man on Rechov Derech Chevron in Jerusalem.

The two Arabs approached the Charedi man, who had just gotten off a bus, and kicked and punched him and possibly fractured his ribs, while cursing at him.

The assailants were arrested about an hour and a half after the incident and as noted above, their detainment was extended for five days.

At the hearing, the police representative stated that “this was an alleged hate crime, conspiring to commit a crime, unlawful possession of a knife, and an unprovoked attack.” He also noted that the nationalistic motive of the crime can be seen in the fact that the assailants targeted a man with a Chareidi appearance. [Rechov Derech Chevron is a non-Chareidi area.]

Another 68-year-old man was lightly injured on Monday after Arabs threw rocks at his car near Sha’ar HaAshpos in the Old City of Jerusalem.

MDF medics evacuated the man to Sha’arei Tzedek Hospital where he was treated for a facial wound.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)