PLO officials released a statement yesterday stating that Israel’s proposed security plan for Jerusalem would not lead to peace in place of a political agreement between the two sides. Israel is presently considering a “Jerusalem Envelope” security plan calling for barriers, observation points, checkpoints around the city, and even an 11-kilometer wall-and-fence separating Gilo and Har Homa from Beit Jala and other Arab villages. The PLO representatives dubbed the proposed structure Jerusalem’s \"Berlin Wall.\"
Deputy Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra, a former Deputy Director of the General Security Service, continues to express his opposition to the Envelope plan. Ezra said last night that “hundreds of millions” of shekels would be spent on a plan that would not be able provide the desired results. \"I don\'t think that we can afford all this money and all this manpower to play cops and robbers with the Palestinians. \" he told Arutz-7 earlier. \"We should concentrate instead on having more deterrence...\"
He also said that there were “simpler and less expensive” plans that would significantly improve security in the capital and that could be implemented immediately. One option he mentioned was the immediate increase of police manpower in and around the capital to protect citizens and thwart ongoing terrorist efforts.
Deputy Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra, a former Deputy Director of the General Security Service, continues to express his opposition to the Envelope plan. Ezra said last night that “hundreds of millions” of shekels would be spent on a plan that would not be able provide the desired results. \"I don\'t think that we can afford all this money and all this manpower to play cops and robbers with the Palestinians. \" he told Arutz-7 earlier. \"We should concentrate instead on having more deterrence...\"
He also said that there were “simpler and less expensive” plans that would significantly improve security in the capital and that could be implemented immediately. One option he mentioned was the immediate increase of police manpower in and around the capital to protect citizens and thwart ongoing terrorist efforts.