Israel Police Chief Lt.-Gen. Dudi Cohen has instructed the northern and central provinces to launch a heightened enforcement operation against people who possess and use illegal weapons and ammunition. The police noted that the prevalence and use of illegal weapons has grown in recent years.
In the course of the past year, as part of an ongoing operation dubbed “Cleaning the Vessels,” police have seized 480 handguns, 120 rifles, 82 submachine guns, about 75,700 bullets, 770 bullet clips, 10,550 firecrackers, 58 hand grenades, 130 pyrotechnical grenades, 158 pipe bombs, 2 artillery shell fuses, 10 mortar shells, 78 plastic explosive rolls and three LAW anti-tank missiles.
While not saying outright that the operation would focus on the Arab sector, the police noted that illegal use of weapons is particularly common in weddings and other celebrations in that sector. This phenomenon, the police statement noted, has been denounced by the heads of the Arab sector. In addition, the illegal weapons are used in criminal and terrorist activity, against people and property. The police said they expect the public to cooperate and trusts that it understands the very real need to reduce the prevalence of he possession of illegal weapons.
"The operation's goal is to visibly reduce the incidents of gunfire and use of illegal weapons, which endanger human life, and thus fulfill [the police's] mission of protecting the public,” the statement said. “Special units and organic forces have been set aside for the mission and equipped with advanced technology.”
The activity is expected to last several months and to focus on the predominantly Arab northern and central areas, within clearly defined areas. Police noted that even before the activity began, preparatory training is already underway in order to ready the forces for the assignment.