Police set up a road block at the entrance to the town Tuesday morning, and began to thoroughly check every vehicle and individual leaving the community. Residents were ticketed with fines for every minor infraction.
This is the second time in recent days that the police have singled out Elon Moreh for such an operation.
The harassment most likely comes in retaliation for last week’s incident, in which a number of persons who were not permanent residents of the town, assaulted an IDF officer who was ordered to take down an unauthorized community outpost located nearby.
Town spokesman, Benny Katzover, said, “The police have initiated a campaign of retribution against Elon Moreh. They set up a barrier with four patrol cars and 20 police officers positioned on the road leading into Elon Moreh. Every car that came out of the town was delayed for 15 minutes and thoroughly checked by vehicle inspectors working for the police.”
In a number of instances, driver’s licenses were revoked and vehicle owners were ordered to get their cars inspected.
Katzover said the police harassment occurs every time “there’s an incident with the police.” The last time was when police entered the town to arrest youngsters who had been protesting the Disengagement Plan. When youngsters slashed the tires of some police vehicles, police punished the town “for three days straight.”
When the town council appealed to the Judea and Samaria police commander, Yisrael Yitzhak, he told them that police were routinely checking vehicles to make sure they were “winter proof.”
“If police were checking cars for winter proofing, why then where they checking the passengers as well?” asked Katzover.
The town’s Rabbi, Elyakim Lebanon, said that police told him they were actually searching for the person who assaulted the IDF officer. “We explained to the police that we don’t know who the youngster was.” Lebanon said he is certain, however, the youth was not from Elon More.
“Despite this, they decided to subject an entire community to harassment,” said the Rabbi. He said that if the police want to carry out a routine operation that should not focus on one town only.
The town council said it intends to raise the issue of police harassment with government officials, and if need be, hold a demonstration against the police and halt all cooperation with them.
This is the second time in recent days that the police have singled out Elon Moreh for such an operation.
The harassment most likely comes in retaliation for last week’s incident, in which a number of persons who were not permanent residents of the town, assaulted an IDF officer who was ordered to take down an unauthorized community outpost located nearby.
Town spokesman, Benny Katzover, said, “The police have initiated a campaign of retribution against Elon Moreh. They set up a barrier with four patrol cars and 20 police officers positioned on the road leading into Elon Moreh. Every car that came out of the town was delayed for 15 minutes and thoroughly checked by vehicle inspectors working for the police.”
In a number of instances, driver’s licenses were revoked and vehicle owners were ordered to get their cars inspected.
Katzover said the police harassment occurs every time “there’s an incident with the police.” The last time was when police entered the town to arrest youngsters who had been protesting the Disengagement Plan. When youngsters slashed the tires of some police vehicles, police punished the town “for three days straight.”
When the town council appealed to the Judea and Samaria police commander, Yisrael Yitzhak, he told them that police were routinely checking vehicles to make sure they were “winter proof.”
“If police were checking cars for winter proofing, why then where they checking the passengers as well?” asked Katzover.
The town’s Rabbi, Elyakim Lebanon, said that police told him they were actually searching for the person who assaulted the IDF officer. “We explained to the police that we don’t know who the youngster was.” Lebanon said he is certain, however, the youth was not from Elon More.
“Despite this, they decided to subject an entire community to harassment,” said the Rabbi. He said that if the police want to carry out a routine operation that should not focus on one town only.
The town council said it intends to raise the issue of police harassment with government officials, and if need be, hold a demonstration against the police and halt all cooperation with them.