Bennett calls for permanent police presence in East Jerusalem

Economy Minister Naftali Bennett advocated Saturday for the deployment of security forces in Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods, as a means to crack down on terrorism and restore safety to the city. Bennett added that in order to deter Palestinians from carrying out terror attacks, the government must commit to demolishing the family homes of terrorists within a matter of hours following an attack.

“Today, those terrorists who go and commit suicide attacks reach Paradise: their family will receive a pension and they will remain residents of Israel,” the economy minister said during an interview with Channel 2.

“We must change this equation, destroy [the terrorist’s] house on the same day, not three months later, and we must deny them benefits and residency. We have to enter neighborhoods with Border Police forces and remain there permanently,” he continued.

“I want to see if then a mother will send her child [to carry out an attack], when she knows all this.”

Bennett further contended that past Israeli concessions to the Palestinians were met with a spike in violence, and added that therefore, in order to quell terrorist activity, Israel must instead take preemptive military action and assert its sovereignty in East Jerusalem.

“The conflict did not begin in 1967 or 1948. In 1929 the Jews of Hebron were massacred during riots,” he said.

“Did [former prime minister Ehud] Barak not propose to divide Jerusalem? So, 1,600 were killed for that. Enough already! Terrorism cannot be thwarted on the defensive, only by an offensive move.” he said

Jerusalem has witnessed five terror attacks since mid-October alone. All the perpetrators have been East Jerusalem residents.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Saturday night that he is excepted to forward new legislation aimed at revoking the residency permits and social benefits of East Jerusalem Arabs who engage in terrorism or other nationalistically motivated crimes, such as incitement to violence against the state. The bill is also set to target the families of such persons.

The announcement came after Interior Minister Gilad Erdan said that he was reviewing the possibility of revoking the Israeli residencies of East Jerusalem Arabs who support terror.

Earlier Saturday, Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch rejected recent criticisms by Bennett who said that the security establishment has been merely responding to terror attacks instead if working to thwart them.

Aharonovitch also said that Israel should use the threat of deportation and the revocation of residency permits and social rights as a deterrent against East Jerusalem terror operatives and their supporters.

Adiv Sterman contributed to this report.