Nation on highest alert with 80 attack warnings
Following fatal shelling attack on Beit Hanoun which killed 18 Palestinians, nationwide alert declared; police have 80 general warnings of attacks ranging from suicide bombings to kidnappings
All of the Palestinian factions, with no exceptions, threatened terror attacks to avenge the lethal strike.
Thursday morning Police Chief Moshe Karadi will convene officials for a decisive discussion on whether or not to allow the Jerusalem gay pride parade, slated for Friday, take place as planned.
Following rumors that the Jerusalem Open House was prepared to delay the gay pride parade slated to take place in the city Friday, representatives of the organization clarified that the police had not approached them on the issue at all.
The Open House further noted that "on Friday there will be a pride march which is an exhibition of human rights, one of the most important Israel has known."
Most of the terror warning were from Gaza and the West Bank and concerned a variety of scenarios: suicide bombings, shootings, rocket attacks, and kidnapping. Following the events in Gaza alert levels were raised nationwide.
Regarding police preparedness, Ohayon said that “police will focus on crowded places, there will be more road blocks, activity on the seam line, and deployment of traffic police will increase.”
In addition to the terror threats, protests are planned among the Arab sector which may reach the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Ohayon said police received five requests for rally permits from the Israeli Arab sector. “From out perspective, this news changes the picture. If up until now the emphasis was on the pride parade, now there are additional factors,” Ohayon noted.
Ohayon assessed the Jews and Arabs would try to enter the Temple Mount in protest of the gay pride parade. He noted that if the parade does indeed take place, police will raise alert to emergency level, which is reserved for extreme circumstances.
As of now, police appear likely to request of Attorney General Menahem Mazuz to prevent the parade due the to difficulty of securing it while simultaneously preventing terror attacks and attending to disruptions of the peace in the Arab sector and Temple Mount.
Neta Sela contributed to the report
