Two Jaffa residents were arrested Sunday over their suspected involvement in a violent assault on a local rabbi.
A picture of the alleged incident shows two men in their 30s hitting and kicking Rabbi Eliyahu Mali who heads the Shirat Moshe Hesder Yeshiva in Tel Aviv's mixed Jewish-Arab Jaffa area. The reason behind the attack was not immediately clear.
Mali was not seriously hurt in the scuffle and did not require hospitalization.
One of Mali's coworkers said that the alleged assault took place when Mali and a fellow rabbi went to examine a nearby building in Jaffa that they were interested in purchasing for the yeshiva.
"I guess there are those who are bothered by the fact that yarmulke-wearing Jews live and study here," he said. "We have been here for more than a decade and we have never had problems with anyone."
An eyewitness said that the two suspects were heard yelling at Mali and the other rabbi before the attack that "it is forbidden for them to move here."
Police said they were investigating whether there was a dispute between the yeshiva and local residents over the use of the building.
The incident sparked clashes between Jewish and Arab groups and police made several arrests.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denounced the attack and demanded the suspects would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai also condemned the attack, saying it violated the coexistence they are trying to create in the city.