Shuafat refugee camp residents fire at Israeli officers
Video obtained by Ynet documents masked gunmen shooting at Israeli Border Police post; Palestinians residents claim police negligence in handling situation.
The video shows two masked men dressed in bullet-proof vests and semi-military uniform, with at least one of them armed. They fired at a border police post located on the outskirts of the camp, and were met with no response by the Israeli forces.
The two masked men then flee the scene, not before shooting into the air in front of pedestrians and passing cars.
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Witnesses to the incident said that the shots were directed at a Israeli Border Police Post located some 30 feet away.
"This is the second time they opened fire at the post, they already shot at the direction of Pisgat Ze'ev twice in the past," said residents of the camp who wished to stay anonymous in fear for their safety.
Since Operation Protective Edge, shots were fired from inside the refugee camp at the nearby Pisgat Ze'ev neighborhood several times. The residents believe that the same perpetrators were involved in both incidents.
"Several armed Hamas cells and other groups reside in the camp," residents of the camp said. "The entire refugee camp is filled with weapons. The cells are armed with M16 rifles, Kalashnikovs, Carl Gustav rifles, hand guns and other weapons," they added.
In a rare move, the residents are going against these armed cells and their activities, but say they have no cooperation from the police.
"We sent complaints and notified police officials, including the district commander," the residents explained, saying that they had warned authorities that "the refugee camp is filled with weapons that may be directed against the police and against Jewish residents who live in adjacent residents, but no one paid any attention. What are they waiting for? For someone to get killed in a shooting?"
The residents noted that they are concerned that they will have to pay the price if a deadly incident were to happen. "If something like that happens, we are the ones who will bear the brunt, seeing that checkpoint examinations will intensify, as will actions carried out by the border police or the IDF against residents.
"We demand that the police enter the camp and clear it from weapons, and that officers operate against these cells," they stated.
The residents also emphasized that they cannot tackle the problem on their own. "Some of them have strong connections in the Palestinian Authority – these are criminals and we cannot face them alone. We feel as if we're in the Gaza Strip."
They added that the weapons are also used to settle internal conflicts and clan disputes inside the refugee camp.
