Israeli police say fire damages bilingual Jerusalem school in apparent extremist act

JERUSALEM – Israeli police say suspected arsonists have set fire to a bilingual Hebrew-Arabic school in Jerusalem.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri says the fire was set Saturday night to a classroom in the Jerusalem school, which has both Jewish and Arab students. Graffiti was found on the walls reading "death to Arabs" and referencing a late American-Israeli ultranationalist rabbi.

She said police were investigating but it appeared to be the latest so-called "price tag" incident. The phrase is used by a small group of mostly teenage Jewish extremists to protest what they perceive as the Israeli government's pro-Palestinian policies.

Mosques, churches, dovish Israeli groups and even Israeli military bases have been targeted by vandals in recent years. The acts have been widely condemned by Israeli leaders across the political spectrum.