Likud Minister: Absence of Sovereignty Caused Jerusalem Escalations

(JNi.media) Minister of Immigration and Absorption Ze'ev Elkin (Likud) on Wednesday morning told Israel Radio that the Cabinet’s decision to authorize the lockdown of Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem is not an admission of a de facto political division between the two sections of the capital, Arab and Jewish. Elkin insisted that the neglect and absence of Israeli sovereignty in eastern and northern Jerusalem was the factor that led to the emergence of violence in the Arab neighborhoods, such as Jabel Mukabar, a predominantly Arab neighborhood in south-east Jerusalem.

MK Eyal Ben-Reuven (Zionist Camp) told Israel Radio that he approves of the government’s decision to place soldiers in city centers in order to neutralize or make it harder for terrorists to carry out their attacks. He said the government must use force in many places to deter terrorists and and increase the sense of security of the citizens of Israel. MK Reuven said the IDF knows how to prepare soldiers in a short period of time for such missions.

Meanwhile, overnight, security forces arrested 21 wanted suspects in Judea and Samaria, five of whom were involved in rioting. All the suspects were taken for questioning by security forces.

On Wednesday morning, Arabs were throwing stones at cars in several locations around Hebron. No one was injured. Arabs threw stones on the road between Gush Etzion and the Lamed-Heh checkpoint, at the Beit Anoun junction north of Kiryat Arba, and near Negohot in the southern Hebron Hills. There were no injuries reported in the incidents. Arabs also reportedly threw stones at Israeli cars on the Jordan Valley highway. One vehicle was damaged.

Near the intersection of Kfar Yossef in the western Galilee local Arab youths burned tires and fled. Police removed youths that remained at the intersection and put out the burning tires.