Thousands of fireworks, swords, tasers and other weapons hidden among Christmas decorations likely destined for Arab rioters.

Israeli police seized a massive shipment of firecrackers, swords, tasers and other weapons at Ashdod port Thursday - a potentially deadly arsenal which was set to be delivered to Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem.

Two containers intercepted by authorities at the southern port were packed with 18,000 fireworks, 5,200 commando knives, 5,500 tasers, 4,300 tasers concealed in flashlights, 1,000 swords and several thousand other "cold" weapons.

The lethal cargo was hidden under a layer of Christmas decorations, and had been shipped in all the way from China.

The weapons were in all likelihood destined to be used against police and Jewish residents of Jerusalem by Arab extremists, who have been rioting and carrying out a series of deadly attacks since the summer. Fireworks in particular have become a weapon of choice among Arab rioters, prompting a controversial decision to temporarily ban the importation of certain types of fireworks.

Several suspects, including a number of residents of northern Israel, have been arrested in connection with the shipment.

Police say it is the largest such seizure of weaponry in recent memory.

Watch - Police seize massive weapons shipment (click picture):