[Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News] Has Israel abdicated security responsibility for Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem?

Ma'an reports:

Palestinian security forces on Friday entered several Israeli-occupied neighborhoods and towns in the Jerusalem area for the first time since the Palestinian Authority was established, a PA security official said.

PA security spokesman Adnan Dmeiri told Ma'an that Palestinian police entered the occupied areas of al-Ram, Beit Hanina, Shufat, Anata, and al-Sawahira Friday and began a crackdown on criminal activity.

Twenty-five suspects have been detained so far, Dmeiri said.

Dmeiri told Ma'an that PA police forces intervened given Israel's neglect of its security responsibilities in the areas.

Israel "doesn't pay attention" to the security situation in these neighborhoods, Dmeiri said. They have become a refuge for fugitives and drug dealers.

"As a result, crime spread, endangering civil peace."

Given the rising frequency of armed robbery and property assaults, the PA asked its allies to mediate and convince Israel to allow Palestinian security forces to operate in these Jerusalem areas, Dmeiri said.

Dmeiri said offenses in some neighborhoods around Jerusalem have nearly reached the level of "organized crime," but that Israeli security has failed to address the problems.

"When we entered al-Ram, there were no Israeli (security) forces in the town."

There is no doubt that some Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem are very dangerous for Jews to enter. There have even been cases of stone throwing at Israeli ambulances. But that is not reason to abdicate security responsibility - it is a reason to increase it, especially during negotiations on Jerusalem's future.

Assuming this report is true (I couldn't find anything in Hebrew media about it), this is a most troubling sign.



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Posted By Elder of Ziyon to Elder Of Ziyon - Israel News at 11/09/2013 07:15:00 PM