Ben Gvir: 'Without a governance operation in eastern Jerusalem, the Negev and the Galilee, it will explode on us''

February 12, 2023   

National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stands behind his directive to the police to launch a large-scale operation in East Jerusalem - with the aim of eradicating the wave of terrorist attacks. At the entrance to the government meeting, Ben-Gvir said: "You can sweep things under the table, you can tell stories, but I did not come here to be a partner in such a thing. "The truth must be told - in East Jerusalem for many years there has been a lack of governance, a lack of deterrence. In the neighborhoods of East Jerusalem we do not fully enforce the law, there is not a day that I do not receive a series of warnings, there is not a day that I do not receive a series of incidents, stone-throwing, Kadhim attacks, criminal offenses and nationalistic offenses." He emphasized: "I have no intention of making any concessions. I am determined to carry out Operation Defensive Shield 2 in East Jerusalem. There is no intention of entering with tanks, there is no intention of carrying out all sorts of operations that are within the scope of the army, but I am the Minister of National Security and the Israel Police can, should and have instructed the police to carry out Operation Defensive Shield 2 in Jerusalem - which is a control operation." He elaborated: "To enter houses, we have 150 targets, to stop them, to search there, to demolish houses without fear, to give traffic reports, to place control posts in Jerusalem and that is what I instructed the police to do. "The police started this operation today, it is at a low intensity, it will increase more and more, I also have requests for the Prime Minister, I want to add forces, but no one should fool themselves, without a control operation in East Jerusalem, as by the way in the Negev and the Galilee, it will explode on us, it will explode on the State of Israel.".