Israeli mob attacks Palestinian citizens during Lod rally

Israeli mob attacks Palestinian citizens during Lod rally

Submitted by Lubna Masarwa on Mon, 11/09/2026 - 11:28 Far-right march sparks clashes and leaves several residents injured, as Palestinians fear more attacks Right-wing Israelis activies argue with left-win protesters outside an Israeli court in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva on 15 June 2022 (AFP) Off

A far-right Israeli mob marched through Palestinian neighbourhoods in the city of Lod on Sunday night, provoking and assaulting residents and sparking clashes.

Palestinian citizens of Israel said that a group of Jewish Israelis had travelled from outside the city before entering their neighbourhoods late at night.

The group marched through the streets, throwing stones, insulting residents and shouting racist slurs. Clashes broke out as Palestinian residents confronted the mob, leaving several people lightly wounded.

Khaled al-Zabarqa, head of the Popular Committee in Lod, said the incident was the third of its kind over the past month.

It was preceded by a similar provocation near the Al-Omari Mosque, followed by another incident in the central market. 

But Sunday's attack involved a group from outside the city, and included an attempt to assault a Palestinian house, he told Middle East Eye. 

“This group is trying to ignite tensions in the city for political purposes," he said.

Zabarqa accused police of complicity. 

“We had previously alerted the police to these provocations and warned them of the potential consequences. They bear responsibility for what is happening," he said. 

“The police knew about yesterday’s incident beforehand. Rather than preventing it, they protected the group and subsequently helped its members evade accountability.

“The failure of the police and state authorities to protect Arab residents points to a systematic policy." 

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Israeli police said dozens of people had gathered in the city and that some had disrupted public order and ignored officers' instructions. Police intervened and arrested 11 suspects.

They were all released on Monday morning under restrictive conditions, as investigations continue. 

According to Haaretz, far-right figures affiliated with National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir had urged people online to join what they described as a “sovereignty march”.

Ben Gvir has been among the leading politicians inciting against Palestinian citizens of Israel following their record turnout and electoral gains in last month's elections.

He has claimed the elections were “stolen” and called for a repeat vote. 

Sunday's march was attended by some of his prominent supporters, including far-right activists Mordechai David and Ziv Baranes.

Lod Mayor Yair Revivo condemned the march, saying “extremists” had arrived from outside the city to inflame tensions.

“I’m seething with rage,” he said in a statement. “A group came from outside, set the area on fire and disappeared, leaving us to deal with the consequences.”

Zabarqa warned that more attacks could follow.

“Based on our assessment, the situation is heading towards further escalation," he said. 

“Since 7 October, incitement against Arabs has increased significantly. But the shift towards direct provocations is a new development that has emerged over the past two weeks.”

History of far-right attacks 

Lod, known to Palestinians as Lydd, is home to a large population of Palestinian citizens of Israel.

Palestinian citizens of Israel are descendants of those who remained in their homeland after the 1948 Nakba, during which Zionist militias expelled around 750,000 Palestinians to establish the State of Israel. 

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The city witnessed some of the most intense clashes between Israeli settlers and far-right activists and local Palestinian residents during the mass protests of May 2021.

On 11 May 2021, an Israeli mob shot and killed Musa Hassouna, a 31-year-old Palestinian citizen of Israel and resident of the city. 

At the time, Palestinian neighbourhoods, homes, businesses and mosques were targeted in widespread attacks by groups of extremist Israelis.

In subsequent years, Lod has continued to witness provocative marches and activities by far-right and settler groups.

These have included tours through Arab neighbourhoods, the raising of Israeli flags and the chanting of racist slogans.

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