Traffic jams on holiday eve
Photo: Ido Erez
Emergency service prepare for Rosh HaShana
Police, Magen David Adom increase presence across the country, working to safeguard the safety of the people of Israel: 'We're prepared for all scenarios.'
As Israelis prepare to celebrate the Jewish new year on Wednesday, Israeli emergency services were set to bolster their presence across the country for the duration of the High Holy Days.
Police will increase its presence in major cities, on the roads and in the Seam Zone starting on the eve of Rosh HaShana on Wednesday and until the end of the Sukkot holiday school break.
While police did not have any intelligence on specific threats of terror attacks, the head of police's operations directorate, Maj.-Gen. Ahran Axsol, told Ynet that "we're preparing for all scenarios, as we do every year."
Police security at Kineret beach (File Photo: Aviyahu Shapira)
Axsol said that while there was a general threat of attacks following Operation Protective Edge, there were no specific warnings of revenge attacks following the assassination of the kidnappers and murderers of the three Israeli teens on Tuesday.
Police will nevertheless remain vigilant for lone-wolf attacks, Axsol said. "We need to remember there were sporadic events like that recently, and we're prepared for that as well."
Police forces will focus on crowded areas like synagogues and prayer sites, as well as cemeteries ahead of Yom Kippur. Security will also be upped on border crossings and on the main roads.
During Rosh HaShana and Sukkot, police will increase its forces in national parks, nature reserves and other recreational areas, as well as secure various events held outdoors.
There will be increased police presence on the Gaza border as well. 1,300 policemen will secure the southern communities and maintain public order.
A high state of alert will be announced in Jerusalem as well during the holiday. Police will increase security in crowded areas, the city center, the Mahane Yehuda Market, the Western Wall area and the central bus station.
The Jerusalem District Police launched "Operation Days of Repentance" on Sunday to minimize public disturbances during the High Holy Days. Policemen and detectives arrested 63 suspects since Sunday, 10 of them children under 12 and 38 additional minors. Police said that compared to 12 Molotov cocktails thrown last week, only one was thrown so far this week, and the arrests operation is meant to decrease nationalistically-motivated hostile terrorist activity.
In northern Israel, police will focus on securing the nature reserves and national parks, as well as ensuring the flow of traffic as Israelis make their way to holiday dinner. 50,000 vehicles will make their way north starting 12pm until 7pm, and traffic jams are expected on the main routes. Police has prepared for that as well, and will increase its presence in junctions and main highways across the country.
Undercover police will work to thwart juvenile delinquency incidents in clubs, beaches and public parks.
Following Rosh HaShana, police will hold a situation assessment ahead of Yom Kippur, that for the first time since 1933 will fall on the same dates as Eid al-Adha, the Muslim feast of the sacrifice, and there is concern of violent incidents in mixed Jewish-Arab cities.
Despite recent tensions on the Israeli-Syrian border, hotels, hostels and B&Bs in the Golan Heights are fully booked. While there aren't any current road blockades in the area, areas near the border could be closed should fighting erupt on the Syrian side of the Golan.
Magen David Adom has also prepared for the holiday with an increased amount of paramedics and other medics. Thousands of medics will be on call for any emergency.
