Second Israel rabbi questioned over 'racist' book

JERUSALEM — Israeli police briefly detained a rabbi on Sunday over his endorsement of a controversial book that justifies the killing of non-Jews in certain circumstances, a police spokesman said on Sunday.News of the brief detention and questioning of rabbi Yaakov Yosef, son of one of Israel's leading religious leaders, prompted his supporters to take to the streets in parts of Jerusalem, burning tyres and blocking the city's light railway.Later about 1,000 of his supporters took to the streets, setting rubbish bins on fire and blocking a main Jerusalem road before being dispersed by horse-mounted police and water cannons, an AFP photographer said.Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said police moved against the demonstrators after they started throwing stones at the officers.There were no immediate reports of injuries.Police detained Yosef for around an hour after he failed to present himself voluntarily for questioning over his endorsement of a book called "The King's Torah."Yosef is the son of rabbi Ovadia Yosef, a highly popular religious leader who is also the spiritual head of the Shas party, which is part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's ruling coalition.Yosef is the second high-profile rabbi to be questioned over the book, after police last week briefly detained rabbi Dov Lior, a key member of the settler movement. His detention also prompted protests by his students and supporters.Rosenfeld said Yosef had been "questioned on suspicion of inciting violence and racism" over his support for the book."He was released after approximately an hour. After he was held, his supporters burnt tyres near (the main road between east and west Jerusalem) and police also made arrests of three people who were blocking the light railway system," Rosenfeld added.Rabbi Lior's detention last week prompted rare criticism from Israel's two chief rabbis, who described it as a "grave offence against the honour of one of the most important rabbis and leaders of religious opinion."But speaking at the opening of the week

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