Israeli Arab injured in central Israel in suspected hate crime attack

A Palestinian citizen of Israel was beaten and moderately wounded Sunday in a suspected attack by Israeli ultra-nationalists, amidst a rise of racist attacks against Palestinians.

Imad Abu Srah, a resident of the city of Lod in central Israel, was evacuated to the Assaf Harofeh Hospital with injuries on his head and upper body, said a spokesperson with the hospital.

A police statement said the police launched an investigation but have yet to apprehend any suspects.

Abu Srah told Israel's Ynet news site that he was on his way to say his morning prays at the local mosque, as three right-wing activists ganged up on him after identifying him as an Arab. They beaten him with sticks, shouting: "Arabs suck, all Arabs should be deported (from Israel)," Ynet reported.

Lod's impoverished population includes Arabs and Jews, who co-exist there with frequent frictions.

The incident occurred a day after Israeli President Reuven Rivlin urged the government and law enforcement authorities to step up their struggle against hate crimes perpetrated by Israeli extremists.

His call followed a suspected arson attack by ultra-nationalist Israelis on Friday, which killed a toddler and critically wounded his parents and four-year-old brother in the West Bank village of Duma.