Interior Security Ministry MD Visits Beit Shemesh

24 Shevat 5770

February 8 2010

Interior Security Ministry MD Visits Beit Shemesh

Hed Bet Shemesh, 12/08/05

From the desk of Yehuda Gur Aryeh, Iriya spokesperson

A meeting was held last Wednesday between Mr. Ronni Pollack, Director General of the Interior Security Ministry and the mayor, Mr. Daniel Vaknin, in the iriya’s conference room. Among the issues discussed was:

1. Request for almost double manpower at the Beit Shemesh police station, from the 78 today to the 152 police. This is necessary, in order for the Beit Shemesh police to be able to carry out their tasks properly.

The force has not expanded since the opening of the police station, while the population in Beit Shemesh and Matei Yehuda has been growing and expanding. Presently, there are only two police cars serving a population of 120,000 people: 80,000 of them residing in Beit Shemesh, and 40,000 of them in Mate Yehuda. Therefore, it is absolutely necessary to expand the police force at the station as soon as possible.

2. A Magav (border police) unit serving the Beit Shemesh and Mate Yehuda areas.

3. A security fence adjacent to road 375. Due to the continues growth and expansion of the city, the southern border of Beit Shemesh by road 39/ Emek HaEla is only 5 minutes away from the Arab city of Tzurif, known for their great hostility towards Israel. Moreover, the entire length of the border, nearly 43 km, is completely open!

Therefore, the mayor has requested that a Magav unit be deployed at the border.

The mayor also mentioned that according to the reports from the local police station, close to 6,000 Palestinians were arrested in 2004 for illegal entry.

This report should raise a red flag and hasten the deployment of a Magav unit by the border as soon as possible.