Border Police officers say a busload of Palestinian men, women and children illegally sought to enter Israel from the West Bank without permits, apparently en route to the beach.
Guards at the A’zaim checkpoint east of Jerusalem say they flagged down the private bus for a security check, after deeming it suspicious. The bus driver and passengers, including numerous children, were held for questioning at the crossing.
Palestinians are detained at a Jerusalem area crossing after attempting to illegally enter Israel to go to the beach on August 15, 2019 (Israel Police)
“The troops who stopped the bus for a check were surprised to find that all of its passengers, 56 children, women and men, aren’t permitted at all to enter Israeli territory,” a statement from the Border Police says, adding that the Palestinians are residents of the West Bank city of Ramallah and its surrounding villages.
“In a search of the bus, items of clothing and other items were located that strengthen the suspicion that it was a group making its way to one of the beaches in Israel,” police say.
The driver of the bus, a resident of East Jerusalem, and the 56 passengers were detained at the crossing for questioning, police say.
The border police force applauds its officers for a job well done, though the group does not appear to have posed a security threat.
“The Border Police have witnessed numerous attempts by Palestinians to infiltrate into Israeli territory for various goals,” it says. “The officers situated at the crossings in the Jerusalem envelope will continue to work professionally and with initiative to prevent the infiltration of those who aren’t permitted to enter the country, illegals who are liable to be involved in criminal activities, and occasionally even terrorism in Israeli territory.”