A photo of the Arab neighborhood of Issawiya, in Jerusalem, where riots broke out over Yom Kippur. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.

JNS.org – Riots broke out in various Palestinian neighborhoods of eastern Jerusalem on Tuesday evening soon after the start of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year.

Residents of the Issawiya, Silwan, Jabel Mukaber and A-Zaim neighborhoods clashed with Israeli security forces less than an hour after the fast began.

“Arabs living in these neighborhoods threw petrol bombs and rocks at officers who responded to a dangerous and life-threatening situation,” Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said, the Jerusalem Post reported.

“One resident in Silwan, who threw a petrol bomb at officers at close range, was injured critically and died. Police attempted to treat him for his injury, but local residents removed his body from the scene and he died a short time later.”

The Silwan resident had recently been released from prison after serving a 15-month sentence.

In Jabel Mukaber, Issawiya and Al-Raim crowd-control measures were successfully used to restore order.

Rosenfeld said no other serious injuries were reported in any of the incidents.

Some 3,500 officers patrolled Jerusalem during the High Holy day.