Unrest broke out in east Jerusalem late Sunday night after rumors spread that an Arab bus driver had been murdered by "Jewish extremists." According to Israel Police, however, the bus driver in question committed suicide. At around 10 p.m. on Sunday night, the body of Yusuf Hassan Ramouni, an Arab resident of the east Jerusalem neighborhood Ras al-Amud who worked as a driver for the Egged bus company, was found at the Har Hotzvim depot inside a bus in which he had been supposed to depart on a route a half hour earlier. His body was hanging on a rope. Paramedics arrived at the scene and tried to revive him. He was transported to the Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police investigators determined Ramouni, a 32-year-old father of two, had committed suicide. There were no signs of violence on his body. However, rumors began swirling in Palestinian social networks and Palestinian media outlets reported that Ramouni's family claimed Ramouni was lynched by Jewish extremists. Ramouni's body has been transported to the Abu Kabir Forensic Institute in Tel Aviv for an autopsy. Israel Police called on the Arab public in Jerusalem to demonstrate leadership and responsibility and wait for the official autopsy results. "At this point, there is no suspicion of foul play," the Israel Police said on Monday morning. "In contrast to various foreign media reports, there were no signs of violence on the body." With rumors running rampant on Sunday night, fierce clashes broke out between Arab rioters and Israeli security forces in a number of east Jerusalem locations. There were severe disturbances in A-Tur, Issawiya, Abu Dis and Ras al-Amud. Security personnel used riot dispersal means in all of these locations. On Monday morning, stones were thrown at Israeli vehicles in the Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood. One Israeli driver was lightly injured. Also, just southeast of the Old City, stones were thrown at Israeli vehicles and border police arrested three young Arab stone throwers.
Clashes erupt in east Jerusalem after Arab bus driver found dead
Israel Police say dead Arab bus driver, Yusuf Hassan Ramouni, committed suicide • Police: No signs of violence found on body • Rumors that Ramouni was lynched by "Jewish extremists" spark riots in a number of east Jerusalem locations.
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