Israelis observed Rosh Hashana in an unprecedented state of alert possible terrorist acts. In northern townships such as Safad, Tiberias and Kiryat Shemona which are uncomfortably close to the Lebanese and Syrian borders, worshippers carried rifles and hand guns to the synagogues at the suggestion of security authorities. The same precautions were taken in other parts of the country. Soldiers on leave and Hagana veterans were urged to arm themselves. The violation of religious custom was justified by the Biblical Injunction “And thou shalt guard your life.”
The police increased precautionary measures on two fronts–against criminal activities, usually up when vacationers are out of town, and against possible terror activities. A senior police officer said that during the holiday an increased fleet of patrol cars worked in residential, industrial and commercial areas, and near banks.
The police were placed on top alert to prevent terrorist actions. They distributed special instructions to synagogues, asking holiday visitors to be especially aware of suspicious objects, and urged citizens to call the police whenever they find anything suspicious.
MAJOR DISASTER AVERTED
The alert averted a possible major disaster Monday morning when two supermarket employes in the Yad Eliyahu quarter in southeast Tel Aviv spotted a suspicious-looking pair of Arab youths among a crowd of women shoppers. They summoned a security officer who searched the suspects and found a home-made bomb in their shopping bag. The device consisted of a 12-inch iron pipe filled with explosives and iron fragments. A detonating mechanism was timed to go off about 20 minutes after the device was discovered. Police dismantled the bomb and arrested the suspects for questioning. No other bombs were found in a search of the market.
Traffic was exceptionally heavy on Rosh Hashana eve as tens of thousands of Israelis left their homes to spend the holiday with relatives, at resort hotels or camping sites. Security precautions were strict at all public places. Both foreign and domestic tourism increased during the last few days before Rosh Hashana, the Tourism Ministry reported.
A Ministry spokesman said that in the 10 top tourist centers there was an average of 90 percent hotel occupancy. Most Tel Aviv hotels were filled with overseas tourists, but hotels in other parts of the country, mainly in resort towns, were filled with Israelis who traditionally use this time of the year as their vacation period.
Synagogues did a booming business. Hardly a seat was unsold despite prices that ranged from $20-$100 a ticket. But high prices reduced by half the sale of shofars. Special buses were operated Monday to military and civilian cemeteries where families paid tribute to their dead on the holiday eve.
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