Protestors held at Jewish graves demo

Israeli police said today they had arrested several dozen people in a violent protest by ultra-Orthodox activists opposed to an excavation they say is disturbing Jewish grave sites.

Officers said thousands joined the protest in the Tel Aviv neighbourhood of Jaffa.

The police tried to disperse the crowd and made the arrests after demonstrators threw stones and bottles at them. Five officers and 10 demonstrators were slightly injured during the protest.

The ultra-Orthodox community is trying to halt construction of a hotel in an upscale Jaffa neighbourhood. Ultra-Orthodox groups frequently protest at construction sites that they claim will desecrate religious burial sites.