The police have been working since the early morning hours to prevent disturbances and the erection of roadblocks in Arab neighborhoods in Jerusalem following the decision of National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir not to return the body of the terrorist who carried out the attack in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of Jerusalem in which seven Israeli civilians were murdered.
Local groups created roadblocks using tires, garbage cans, and other objects in the neighborhoods of Shuafat, Issawiya, Jabel Mukaber and Silwan, in order to prevent residents from being able to go to work and force a general strike.
National Security Minister Ben-Gvir said in response: "I instructed the police to continue the "Concentrated Effort" operation in eastern Jerusalem. The police have been working since the early hours of the morning to remove the blockades - and I greatly appreciated the efforts of the police and soldiers."
"The State of Israel will not surrender to a handful of terrorists. The criminals who block the neighborhoods are instigators, act against the law and want anarchy in eastern [Jerusalem], and we must not allow them to do that. Of course, the collective must be distinguished from those criminals, but the Israel Police must show a heavy hand and zero tolerance towards these lawbreakers and the operation will continue," Ben-Gvir said.
Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai had warned that holding the terrorist's body could lead to an escalation and disturbances in eastern Jerusalem, and therefore he believed that the terrorist's body should be returned to the family.
Ben-Gvir responded that in a previous case where the police warned that not returning a terrorist's body would lead to disturbances, it was the holding of the terrorist's funeral after the body was returned where disturbances occurred.
Border Police officer Staff Sgt. Asil Sawaed was murdered in a terrorist attack during an inspection of a bus at the Shuafat checkpoint past week. Sgt. Sawaed was stabbed in the head by a 13-year-old boy who had brought a knife from home. The officer was also accidentally shot by a civilian security guard who drew his weapon in response to the attack.