Hundreds of policemen and border policemen overnight Monday raided the eastern Jerusalem neighborhood of Isawiya on Mount Scopus, near Hadassah Medical Center. The raid was part of an extensive and integrated police enforcement operation to improve the quality of life of local residents.
The overall purpose of the operation, as defined by the commander of the Jerusalem district, Major General Yoram Halevi, is to deal decisively with anyone involved in criminal offenses, disturbing the public order and terrorism, while improving the quality of life of law-abiding neighborhood residents, by arresting rioters and law-breakers, examining the licenses of local businesses that do not meet the conditions of safety and licensing as required by law, and reviewing compliance with judicial house arrest decisions against local individuals.
Meanwhile, municipal officials are being integrated into the operation in repairing the public light system, removing garbage dumps and safety hazards, as well as illegally hung signs that pose a hazard to pedestrians and covering up graffiti.
The operation is placing a broad emphasis on repairs in local schools, in cooperation with community police: sidewalks and pedestrian crossings are being marked clearly, and safety hazards are identified and removed for the safety of students walking to school.
The overnight raid targeted locals against whom police collected evidence of their participation in recent violent riots, which included throwing stones and Molotov cocktails at security forces’ vehicles, and causing injury to police personnel.