Mayor Barkat releases new Jerusalem security plans
Surveillance baloons, more patrol cars to be used as violence persists, with girls attacking 2 Arab cabbies, and Palestinians throwing rocks
Lazar Berman is The Times of Israel's diplomatic reporter
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat released a new security plan for the capital, as episodes of violence continued in the capital and elsewhere in the country Thursday.
Starting Sunday, 130 new police cruisers will be deployed to the city, with an additional 30 cruisers introduced in order to protect schools and kindergartens.
With the new cruisers, police will be able to reach any educational institution within two minutes, according to a statement released by the mayor’s office.
Schools will also see the addition of hundreds of security cameras, and city kindergartens will receive 215 new security guards.
Four surveillance balloons have been deployed around the city as well.
“Bringing back security to the city is our most important mission,” said Barkat.
Jerusalem has seen near-daily riots in recent weeks, as well as a string of terrorist incidents, including Tuesday’s attack on a Har Nof synagogue.
Violence continued Thursday in the capital as well.
In Jerusalem, an Arab cab driver reported being assaulted by four Jewish girls on King George Street. He did not require medical care, Ynet reported.
Shortly afterward, another driver also reported being attacked in a similar fashion. Police searched the area, and located the young women allegedly involved, who came from the West Bank settlement Yitzhar. Two containers of pepper spray were found on the girls, who were brought in for questioning.
In the East Jerusalem neighborhood Abu Dis on Thursday night, dozens of Palestinian youths hurled stones at police and burned tires. Security forces responded with crowd-dispersal measures.
Riots also occurred in Jerusalem’s Jabel Mukaber neighborhood, the home of the two terrorists who carried out Tuesday’s attack on the Har Nof synagogue. Security forces came under attack by rock-throwing youths calling out slogans in support of the assailants. No injuries or arrests were reported.
In the south, stones were thrown at the 388 Metropoline bus line near the entrance to the city of Arad on Route 31. Passengers said that glass was shattered and passengers began screaming, but no injuries were reported. The driver summoned security forces by pressing an emergency button in the bus.
Rocks have been thrown at buses in that location several times in recent weeks.
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