Jerusalem Police completed its preparations Saturday for securing the city and keeping peace during Passover. Backup forces will patrol the city until the holiday ends.
Thousands of police and Border Guard officers deployed in the capital Saturday night, under the command of the district chief, Commander Aharon Franco. The forces will attempt to keep the peace at the Western Wall, the Old City, east Jerusalem, and the city's parks and shopping centers.
Jerusalem's Old City (Photo: Reuters)
Police are also set to secure Christian marches and pilgrims. They will guard the special Holy Fire ceremony to take place at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher next Saturday, at which thousands are expected to be in attendance. The ceremony has been cause for tension among the Christian faiths in the city in recent years.
Last week the High Court of Justice prohibited any sacrifice to be made at Temple Mount, so police will also attempt to prevent this from occurring.
In recent weeks Jerusalem was heaved into turmoil by a government decision to approve Jewish construction in the eastern neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Riots broke out in which dozens of Arab residents of east Jerusalem were injured, before police managed to contain the violence.