Israeli forces arrest over 2 dozen suspects in ongoing terror crackdown
By DANIEL K. EISENBUD
One week after a terrorist from east Jerusalem murdered four soldiers and wounded 17 others in a truck-ramming attack, police have arrested over two dozen Arab suspects accused of planning, or engaging in, terrorist activity.According to Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld, the arrests are part of ongoing security operations between police units, the IDF, and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) to thwart future attacks in the capital.“Since last week’s terrorist attack, heightened security continues in Arab neighborhoods with preventative measures including roadblocks, spot-checks of trucks and other vehicles, and searches for possible terrorists,” said Rosenfeld on Monday.Concurrently, he added that police are focusing on the Jewish neighborhoods adjacent to the Arab neighborhoods where there is violent activity, as well as the Old City.“Hundreds of trucks and other vehicles have been searched, and all illegal vehicles have been taken off the roads to prevent potential attacks,” he said, adding that police are focusing on the volatile Arab communities of Jabl Mukaber, Ras al-Amud, Sheikh Jarrah, and Wadi al-Joz.Noting that hundreds of additional officers from numerous special-patrol units from across the country have been deployed to the capital, Rosenfeld said they will remain “as long as necessary based on security assessments made on a day-to-day basis.”Three female soldiers – 20-year-old Lt. Yael Yekutiel of Givatayim, 22-year-old Lt. Shir Hajaj of Ma’aleh Adumim, and 20-year-old Sec.-Lt. Shira Tzur of Haifa – and one male soldier, 20-yearold Sec.-Lt. Erez Orbach of Alon Shvut, were killed during the January 8 attack.
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