Israel beefs up security in Jerusalem amid growing violence
The Israeli government on Tuesday unveiled its plan to restore “feelings of personal security” for residents in Jerusalem amid growing terrorism which has already claimed the lives of at least 10 civilians.
On Monday, a teenage Arab terrorist murdered Arab-Israeli Border Police Officer Asil Suaed at a checkpoint to the Shuafat refugee camp, a crime-ridden Arab village in northeastern Jerusalem.
The new security plan, which is a joint effort of the Prime Minister’s Office and the Jerusalem Municipality, aims to beef up the deployment of security and police forces throughout Jerusalem. In addition, the plan will prioritize preemptive counterterrorism intelligence efforts and will strengthen civilian protection at some 300 bus stops in the nation’s capital.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stressed that restoring security in Jerusalem is a priority for his government.
"In light of the series of difficult events in the country, and in the capital in particular, the government under my leadership is working night and day to restore the sense of security to the citizens of the State of Israel,” said Netanyahu.
The government is also considering the addition of security checkpoints between Arab and Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem, however, this measure will be difficult to implement due to all the residents' close proximity to each other within the city.
To deter future terrorist attacks, Netanyahu’s government is also considering seizing assets of families of terrorists.
Last month, Israel’s Security Cabinet made a decision to penalize the family members of terrorists who have Israeli residency by stripping their citizen benefits, including their identity cards which enable them to live and work in Israel.
The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
