""You won't see police coming in and scattering children": This is how the police are preparing for the lockdown

January 6, 2021   

The police are preparing to tighten the lockdown: The head of the Israel Police Operations Department, Lieutenant Colonel Yishai Shalem, said this evening (Wednesday) that approximately 5,000 police officers will be added to the regular force to enforce the tight lockdown, and that more checkpoints will be set up at night.

""In the central region, there will be fewer checkpoints during the day than in the north and south," Shalem said. "On the other hand, from 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM, there will be more checkpoints. In this lockdown, we will be much more heavy-handed and will enforce it more vigorously. We will deploy forces inside the cities in large numbers. The purpose of the operation is to deal with unreasonable gatherings. We will make every effort not to reach physical confrontations, but bullying will be tolerated.".

He added: "We should expect traffic jams. There will be traffic jams, it won't help. The message should be - anyone who doesn't work in an essential job or go out to protest or is on their way to the supermarket, is sitting at home with their family and I hope this will ease traffic.".

Shalem addressed the difficulty in enforcing the restrictions: "The more the traffic restrictions are reduced and there are more permits and easements, it is clear that our presence on the streets is less significant. Each person has a thousand and one reasons, so in the end there is no enforcement.".

A police source also addressed today the intention in the Haredi sector to operate Torah classes, saying that actions are being taken behind the scenes. However, he emphasized: "You won't see police coming in and dispersing children from schools, and probably not from synagogues either.".

The expected checkpoint regime on intercity roads:

Between 23:00 and 07:00 - 12 checkpoints on intercity routes.

From 07:00 to 19:00 - 15 checkpoints, mainly in the north and south.

From 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM - 25 checkpoints, including in the center of the country.