Jerusalem police have been empowered by the Israel Defense Force command to forcibly break the commercial strike in East Jerusalem, now in its 11th day, and to quell rioting in Arab villages within Jerusalem’s municipal boundaries, Police Minister Haim Barlev announced Wednesday.
The supervisor of public transportation warned 10 East Jerusalem bus lines Wednesday that they face legal action and could lose their licenses unless they restore service immediately. The Arab bus lines are observing the strike.
Barlev told reporters that the general in command of the central region has issued emergency orders to the police to open shops by force. They also have been authorized to impose curfews on Arab villages inside Israel proper.
“We do not rush to do so in Israel and we don’t say that we will soon,” Barlev said.
He spoke after disturbances in Isawiya and Beit-Tzafafa, villages inside the municipality. In Isawiya, a boy was badly injured when he was struck by an Israeli police jeep, after he reportedly attacked it with stones. Two police officers were slightly injured.
In A-Ram village, north of Jerusalem, 12 Arabs were arrested after a demonstration Wednesday afternoon.
Nearby in Ramallah, and in Gaza, security forces compelled Arab merchants to open their shops. Youths demonstrating in Ramallah were dispersed.
The IDF, meanwhile, continued its policy of isolating refugee camps that are the main trouble spots in the Gaza Strip. The comps are under continuous curfew.
FOOD DELIVERIES PREVENTED
A convoy of trucks bringing food and clothing, collected for the refugees by Jews and Arabs in Israel, was prevented by soldiers from entering the camps.
Arab workers from areas not under curfew, particularly Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, showed up at their jobs in Israel Wednesday for the first time in a week. There were about 20,000 of them, half the usual number.
About half of the junior high school students in the Gaza Strip returned to their classes Wednesday. The rest could not, because they live in refugee camps under curfew.
Arab high school students in Galilee boycotted their classes for an hour Wednesday morning to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinians in the administered territories. In some instances, school principals prohibited demonstrations.
Arab mayors in Israel have petitioned Barlev to free Israeli Arabs arrested during the general strike and resulting disturbances in Israel on Dec. 21. But the police minister rejected their request. He said those arrested would have to stand trial.
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