1,400 Border Police reservists called for duty in light of security crisis
The decision was made in the midst of another day of attacks around the country that left three Israelis dead and more than 20 wounded.
By HERB KEINON, LAHAV HARKOVUpdated: OCTOBER 14, 2015 12:20How can Israel put an end to this wave of terror?
The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee approved Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's request to immediately call up 1400 Border Police reservists on Thursday.The Border Police representative in the meeting, Commander Amir Cohen, said that 850 reservists were already called up, and if they need to, they will bring in the rest."The fighters are very motivated. They understand the importance at this time, and therefore the recruitment is at almost 100 precent," Cohen said. "The fighters enlisted underwent special training in recent days, in order to prepare them for their mission to bring quiet back to the streets."Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Tzachi Hanegbi (Likud) said the panel supports giving reservists in the Border Police extensions submitting forms that are due on the 15th, like VAT reports.MK Merav Ben-Ari (Kulanu) asked the Tax Authority to make sure that self-employed reservists who were called up get the extension, and was told that the authorities will cooperate with Border Police reservists in the field to make sure they have "quiet at home during their reserve duty."Meanwhile, the IDF announced Wednesday it will send six companies to assist police in light of the current security crisis.At least 300 hundred soldiers would join police in order to conduct "joint operations," a police statement added. The decision was made in the midst of another day of attacks around the country that left three Israelis dead and more than 20 wounded.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his 10-person security cabinet in a marathon session Tuesday night to draw up additional measures in an effort to stop the wave of violence.
The security cabinet approved measures that Netanyahu promised the Knesset would convince the enemy that “terrorism does not pay.”The cabinet convened at 3:30 in the afternoon, broke briefly so Netanyahu could address the Knesset to mark 14 years since the assassination of tourism minister Rehavam Ze’evi, and then re-convened at 7 p.m. for a meeting that continued until early Wednesday morning.A number of measures were approved, including sending IDF soldiers to city centers and highways throughout the country to re-enforce the police forces.Some of the other measures that the security cabinet passed included: - the authority for police to close or surround areas in Jerusalem where there is friction or incitement;- in addition to destroying terrorists' homes, it will now not be permitted to rebuild at the site of the demolitions;- the seizure of terrorists' assets;- the revoking of the permanent resident status of east Jerusalem Arabs involved in attacks.The prime minister's office said that the security cabinet would reconvene on Wednesday afternoon to deal with other issues including incitement of the violence.Meanwhile, the IDF deployed two additional battalions to its Judea and Samaria Division; three companies to the Jerusalem-West Bank perimeter area; and two reinforcement battalions to the Gaza border to deal with disturbances along the security fence.The Golani infantry brigade will send its Battalion 12 and Reconnaissance Battalion to the Gaza border.The IDF has yet to name the other units being deployed.Yaakov Lappin contributed to this report.