Olmert orders "zero tolerance" of violence in N Israeli town

Israel's outgoing Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Sunday repeated his call for an end to the Jewish-Arab clashes in the northern town of Acre, vowing that a zero-tolerance policy will be enforced to handle the violence, local news service Ynet reported.

"I have instructed the police to show zero tolerance and bring about a cessation of the violence" in Acre, Olmert was quoted as saying at a weekly cabinet meeting.

The northern Israeli city of Acre entered into the fifth day of unrest since the clashes between Arabs and Jews erupted on Wednesday evening when an Arab resident drove through a conservative Jewish neighborhood while most Jews observe a religious ban on driving during the Yom Kippur holiday.

A total of 54 Jewish and Arab residents have been arrested, about a dozen of homes owned by Arab families set on fire, and tens of cars torched or damaged so far.

Noting that the coastal city of 50,000 people has "excelled in living together" for years, Olmert said that there was a feeling that the Acre population was being "held hostage by a group of extremists from both sides," leading them to violence, fanaticism and a loss of the right criteria.

Meanwhile, Olmert also appealed for "mutual respect and mutual tolerance" between Jewish and Arab residents in Israel, saying that he is seeking to create a situation where "we moderate radical views, reduce the friction and create a dialogue out of the belief that there is no escape from living together."

The latest remarks echoed those he made on Thursday, when he called on local residents to make every effort to calm the tensions, saying that coexistence between Jews and Arabs in Israelis of great importance, particularly in mixed cities.

On Friday, Olmert's would-be successor Tzipi Livni also urged the police to show determination in dealing with the violence during a tour to the ancient city, and warned that Israel will not allow citizens to take the law into their hands.