Illustration
Photo: Dudi Vaaknin
X-ray machine placed at Ashkelon high school
In attempt to limit teen violence, police plan to place machine randomly in schools throughout Israel
A high school in Ashkelon has become Israel's first school to be temporarily provided with an X-ray machine, as part of a police plan to limit violence among teens.
On Sunday students tried out the machine for the first time, and some were fearful. "I was a little scared I may have forgotten something in my bag, but in the end I got through it alright," one student recounted.
Students surprised by x-ray machine (Photo: Tsafrir Abayov)
The machine was placed at the entrance to the public high school as part of a plan initiated by police, the mayor's office, the PTA, and Ashkelon's school principals.
Police hope to deter students from bringing weapons such as knives and knuckle-dusters to school by placing the machine in schools throughout Israel without prior warning.
Ashkelon, which is taking part in the Interior Ministry's 'Cities without violence' plan, was chosen to be the first city to try out the machine.
When confronted with the new addition to their school Sunday morning, some students were unfazed. "If you ask me they can put it here for good," one teen said.
But others were fearful. "Sometimes you forget what's in your bag," another student explained.
"Our aim is mainly to deter, not to place the machine at the entrance to schools on a permanent basis," explained Lachish District Police Chief David Bitan.
"We believe that a random choice of the machine's placement, without prior warning, will make those who intend to bring knives into school think twice before doing so."
