Israel’s response to Jerusalem terror: More guns for civilians

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has announced the government’s plan to combat terrorism after two attacks rocked East Jerusalem over the weekend. 

The first terror attack was committed by a 21-year-old Palestinian who killed seven people outside a synagogue on Friday in the East Jerusalem neighbourhood of Neve Yaakov.

The second attack occurred on Saturday morning in the City of David in East Jerusalem, when a 13-year-old Palestinian boy shot and wounded two Israelis.

Following the attacks, the government announced a number of actions that would be taken, such as expediting the issuing of weapons permits to “thousands of Israeli civilians, including those in the rescue services.”

The current requirements to obtain a firearm include being citizen or permanent resident of Israel, who has lived in Israel for the past three years completed  military/national service, fluency in Hebrew to pass the test, as well as weapons training.

Another measure will see revoking Israeli identity cards and residency of “families of terrorists that support terrorism.”

The security cabinet also decided to revoke the national insurance rights of families that support terrorism, as well as “strengthening” West Bank settlements.

Lastly, the government wasn’t to immediately seal off homes belonging to families of terrorists and then demolish it.

Israeli security forces sealed off the homes of 21-year-old Alqam Khayri, 21, a resident of East Jerusalem, who carried out Friday’s attack near a synagogue. The home belonging to the 13-year-old Palestinian boy behind Saturday morning’s attack was also sealed off.

Both houses will be demolished at a later time, a long time policy by the Israeli government to deter Palestinians from committing terror attacks.

Critics say the policy is collective punishment that hasn’t proven effective, and only exacerbates the anger and frustration felt by Palestinians in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

High alert

Israeli security forces are on high alert following the terror attacks, with thousands of police officers deployed in Jerusalem and additional soldiers sent to the West Bank.

While some Israeli security experts have said the current wave of Palestinian terror can be identified as a third Intifada, former brigadier-general and Shin Bet division head, Lior Akerman, told Jewish News that he disagrees with that description due to the “relatively few” people involved in terror attacks, and the lack of mass civil disorder.

However, “one unusual event is enough to set the entire area on fire and ignite an intifada,” he said.

Akerman, who is also a senior researcher at Reichman University’s Institute for Policy & Strategy, said the combination of a slowly “collapsing” Palestinian Authority, “extremist” in the Israeli government wanting to annex the West Bank and the “incessant incitement” by both the PA, Hamas and Islamic Jihad make the security situation “very sensitive.”

Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant warned that “Any terrorist will either be brought to court or to rest. We will fight forcefully and decisively against terrorists and their enablers – including, if needed – the demolition of the homes of terrorists or revoking the rights of the families of terrorists.”

In what appeared to be a direct warning to Jewish Israelis seeking revenge by carrying out “price tag” attacks against civilian Palestinians, Netanyahu said: “I call again on all Israelis – don’t take the law into your hands.”

Several suspected hate-crime attacks were however reported over the weekend by Jewish settlers against Palestinians.

“Jews, wake up” was found spray painted on wall in Jaloud, a  Palestinian village near the West Bank city of Nablus, where a car was also set on fire.

Another similar attack was reported by Palestinians in the town of Turmus Ayya, near Ramallah, where a car was also set on fire.

Shin Bet announced on Tuesday that it had arrested a 22-year-old settler suspected of setting a car ablaze in the Palestinian town of Turmus Ayya. The suspect will be charged with a racially motivated hate crime.

Similarly, Palestinians have been caught throwing stones at Jewish Israelis driving on roads in the West Bank in recent months, sometimes leading to car crashes.