Peres peace call in riot-hit town

Mr Peres urged caution from both sides so the situation is not inflamed

Israel President Shimon Peres has called for reconciliation after four days of Jewish-Arab rioting in the mixed northern town of Acre.

Police have arrested 64 people, about half of them Arab, half Jewish, since the unrest erupted on Wednesday night.

About 14 Israeli-Arab families remain unable to return to their homes, an Israeli-Arab advocacy group says.

An Arab who sparked riots by driving in a Jewish area during a fasting holiday said he regretted his "mistake".

"If what I did caused this, I am ready to sacrifice my neck right here on this table... just to return peace and quiet back to the city of Acre, to bring co-existence back to its place," Tawfik Jamal told a Knesset committee on Sunday.

There are several religions in Israel, there is only one law and one police Israeli President Shimon Peres

He denies accusations that he was drunk or had music blaring from his loudspeakers as he drove into a mainly Jewish area in the east of the town during the Yom Kippur festival.

Driving and eating on the streets is considered offensive in much of Israel during the sombre fast.

Property attacked

An Israeli-Arab mob rampaged through the streets after the rumour spread that a group of Jews who pulled Mr Jamal from his car had killed him.

A number of Arab homes have been torched by suspected Jewish saboteurs

In subsequent days crowds of Jews and Israeli Arabs have tried to attack each other, and each other's property.

Police say at least three Israeli-Arab homes have been torched, although some reports suggest the number is higher.

According to police, about 10 police have been injured, but no civilians.

On Monday Mr Peres said "there are several religions in Israel, there is only one law and one police".

"We must be careful with every word, for words can be deadly," he said, in a call on community leaders and politicians to avoid inflaming tensions.

About one-third of Acre's population are Israeli Arabs, with the highest concentration in the Old City.

Israeli Arabs are people of Palestinian origin whose forbears remained in Israel after the foundation of the country in 1948.

They number about one million - about one-fifth of the Israeli population - and although they have full rights as Israeli citizens, human rights groups have long said they face discrimination and exclusion.

On Sunday, outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert admitted that "for many years there has been discrimination against the Arab population".

He has called for zero tolerance against rioters in the town, which he said had previously been a "shining example of co-existence".

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