Jerusalem’s Police Arrest 13 Arabs in Massive Crackdown on Violence, Illegal Weapons

Jerusalem, 28 July, 2020 (TPS) -- Jerusalem’s police on Monday carried out a large-scale operation in the Shuafat neighborhood in the eastern part of the city during which 13 suspects were arrested for rioting and attacking Israeli forces, the use and possession of weapons, and drugs.

The police raided a large number of targets in the refugee camp in an operation aimed at stopping offenders “who harm the security forces and innocent civilians.”

At one of the targets, the troops raided a house and seized various types of drugs, including ecstasy (MDMA) and cannabis.

In another location, the police seized a machine for the illegal production of weapons, various means of manufacturing and repairing weapons, and gun parts. A suspect assaulted the policemen during his arrest.

There is a prolific illegal weapons production industry within the Arab sector. The weapons are mostly made for criminal use but have been used in terrorist attacks as well.

Most of the suspects were arrested for rioting and throwing objects and Molotov cocktails at security forces.

The 13 suspects, two of them minors aged 16 and 17 and the rest in their 20s to 40s, were taken for questioning by the Border Police.

The police last year launched an operation to curb criminal activity and violence within the Arab sector, which has claimed dozens of lives.

The Israeli police have arrested more than 3,600 suspects for shootings, gun trafficking and the illegal use of weapons, more than 90% of them from Arab society.