TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th May, 2021) Israeli police are getting ready to prevent a new wave of unrest across the country by blocking entries to certain cities, imposing curfews and deploying additional units to maintain public order, police press service said on Thursday.
"A security assessment was carried out in the area of the city of Lod. At 5.00 p.m. [14:00 GMT], the police closed entry to the city for nonresidents. From 8.00 p.m. to 3.00 a.m., the police will ban movement in public places," the police said.
It added that reinforced border police units were deployed to the area.
Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a meeting with police officers who will be on duty at night.
"I am now going to an emergency meeting in order to give the police additional powers, give more backing for the police, and give them additional forces. I also intend to bring in military forces according to the existing law and we will pass an additional law if necessary. We must tell the police and soldiers that we are sending them to maintain order. We will do everything so that they will have the necessary powers and forces to carry out the mission," Netanyahu said.
The largest confrontation in recent years at the Gaza border began on Monday evening. Palestinian militants have since launched over 1,600 rockets from Gaza toward Israel, leaving six Israeli civilians and one serviceman dead. Israel has fired retaliatory strikes against Gaza. The enclave's health ministry put the death toll among Palestinians at 83.
The violence was sparked by days of clashes in East Jerusalem and an Israeli court's decision to side with Jewish settlers requesting the eviction of several Palestinian families from their homes in the disputed city.
