Israel Police touts first station of its kind in East Jerusalem

The Israel Police on Sunday said it opened the first of several planned stations in a new bid to improve policing services in East Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat, and a number of other senior police officials.

Speaking at the ceremony, Erdan said the police station will help to establish the rule of law in East Jerusalem.

“Today we are taking an additional step toward a historic change in the introduction of police services in the Arab community. The enforcement of law and order needs to exist in all parts of Jerusalem and there is no better time to implement this than when we are marking 50 years since the unification of the capital,” he said.

“Today we’re celebrating an important step toward strengthening sovereignty and government in East Jerusalem, while improving services and enforcement for the benefit of all residents,” said Barkat. “This step joins the revolution we’ve been spearheading in recent years to close the gaps in the east of the city in a wide range of areas, including education, infrastructure, welfare and leisure.”

In a statement, police spokeswoman Luba Samri said that the new station in the Shuafat refugee camp was the first of a number of police stations that will be opened “in the villages of East Jerusalem, in order to make police more accessible to East Jerusalem residents along with additional municipal and civil services.”

Another police station is scheduled to be opened in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sur Baher, and others will follow, the police statement said.