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The Jerusalem city hall announced Wednesday the launch of an aerial surveillance unit that would help security forces curb a wave of riots in Arab neighborhoods in the eastern part of the city.
Initially to be made up of five observation balloons operated by ex-military personnel and deployed in close proximity to the city's Palestinian neighborhoods and villages, the unit will provide police and other security agencies with "real-time intelligence on disturbances, mass gatherings, and hurling of rocks, petrol bombs and fireworks," according to a statement.
"As I have been saying for months, the situation in Jerusalem is intolerable and requires a strong and clear response to every violent incident," Mayor Nir Barkat said, describing the new unit he initiated as a "front line operational arm" that would boost efforts to curtail the violence.
No less important, the unit will enable the city hall to better enforce the law against construction and business licensing violations, illegal dumping of construction waste and smuggling of food products, said Barkat, adding that the unit will receive additional surveillance measures in the not too distant future.
Increasingly concerned over clashes between Arab youths and police that have become a daily occurrence, as well as numerous stone-throwing attacks on public transportation in recent months, Barkat on Tuesday instructed during a meeting with the heads of municipal departments "to strictly enforce municipal regulations and apply penalties" against Palestinian residents of east Jerusalem, including traffic citations, house demolitions and unlicensed businesses, in a move aimed at pressuring the population to act against rioters, according to a report published Wednesday by the left-leaning Ha'aretz newspaper.
Some senior officials present at the meeting objected to the move, saying it would further alienate the Palestinian public, the report said.
"There is no doubt that the law must be enforced, but the question is why do thousands of police officers have to be brought in to conduct mass arrests after years during which the police refused to enter the neighborhoods to protect the residents," city councilwoman Laura Wharton was quoted as saying.
Citing continued violence at flash points like the neighborhoods of Isawiyah and Silwan, the police have already placed checkpoints at the entrances to Palestinian neighborhoods to cite drivers for violations, sparking the anger of residents who say it is a form of collective punishment, the report said.
Earlier this week, Barkat presented a parliamentary committee with a comprehensive plan he had jointly drafted with the police for cracking down on violence. Enditem
