Scene of shooting attack
Photo: Dudi Vaknin
Israel Police raised alert levels Saturday night to the highest possible non-emergency level, following a Saturday afternoon shooting attack on security forces by two Palestinian terrorists in East Jerusalem.
"In the current situation, the exact number of terror alerts we've received is irrelevant. We know that there is a strong desire right now to carry out terror attacks and attempts to carry them out are actively taking place," head of the operations department, Police Commander Yoram Ohayon told Ynet.
Earlier Incident
Two Palestinians open fire at security personnel in Jerusalem's Sheik Said neighborhood, near Armon Hanatziv. Border Guard officer, security guard sustain moderate to serious injuries in attack; terrorists, Palestinian bystander killed in ensuing exchange of fire. Al-Aqsa Brigades claims responsibility
Police Commander Nisim Ederi, who heads the Jerusalem periphery unit, said that, "we had no concrete warnings about terrorists' attempts to attack security guards. Following the attack (Saturday), we will deploy extra forces to all road blocks in the Jerusalem area."
Ohayon added that "the police are trying to stay aware and be in constant coordination with IDF and Shin Bet sources. We continuously have situational analyses. We take this attack very seriously.
"Deployment will occur in five concentric circles," Ohayon explained. "The external circle is the IDF – up to the seam zone. One step in - between the seam zone and the center of Israel. The internal circles are the entrances to cities and towns, inside the towns and at popular hang-outs.
"We're talking about a full deployment of police forces," he said. The heightened level of alert has been activated in all police districts.
The IDF's central command, whose military jurisdiction covers the Jerusalem area, had been concerned recently that Gaza violence might spill over and inspire West Bank terrorists.
"Terror organizations don't need an excuse to carry out an attack," a military source in the West Bank told Ynet. "Gaza is influencing the situation. There's a lot of pressure coming from Gaza – both instructions and funds.
"We posit that as the situation in Gaza worsens, the situation in the West Bank will also worsen and there will be more attempts to carry out terror attacks."
The defense establishment has identified nine specific attempts by terror organizations to carry out attacks Sunday, and has dozens more general alerts. These refer to all sorts of threats, from Qassam attacks to suicide bombings.