Ahead of US embassy move, security chiefs meet over expected violence

The heads of Israel’s security services — the Israel Defense Forces, Shin Bet, and Israel Police — meet in the army’s Tel Aviv headquarters to discuss the potential for increased violence from Palestinian terror groups and their forces’ general readiness, the army says.

“As part of the meeting, a situational assessment concerning the Palestinian arena was discussed, as well as the preparedness of the security forces for the coming period and inter-agency cooperation,” the army says in a statement.

Israel expects to see heightened tension among Palestinians in the coming days, ahead of the US embassy’s move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem on May 14 and the Nakba Day protests — commemorating the displacement of Palestinians after Israel’s founding — the next day.

Israeli defense officials are also concerned over an expected retaliatory strike by Iran or one of its proxies against military sites in northern Israel, in response to recent airstrikes against Iranian targets in Syria that have been attributed to Israel.

The meeting included IDF chief Lt. Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, Shin Bet head Nadav Argaman, and Israel Police Commissioner Roni Alsheich, as well as senior officers from each service.

— Judah Ari Gross