The IDF Central District Commander has given the order, to begin collecting military weapons in yishuvim along the Jerusalem envelope area.

According to the report, military self-defense weapons held by residents of communities will be confiscated. It is explained that this pertains to communities which used to be under the jurisdiction of the IDF, but today, the responsibility for the safety of these communities has been given to border police.

The command will impact 13 communities. In two of them, the weapons have already been collected; referring to Maale Adumim and Kedar. In the communities of Alon, Kfar Adumim, Nofei Prat, Anatot, Kedar Zmani, Beit Choron, Har Gilo, Givat Ze’ev, Givon Chadasha, Old Gideon and Har Adar, weapons will be collected in the coming days.

The Central District Commander has decided to dismantle the ‘first response’ (כיתות הכוננות) units in those communities. Many of the members of those units have already been certified a border police volunteers, but now, they will be left with only handguns, as the military weapons are being confiscated with the exception of a few, which will remain in the hands of the community security officers and their assistants.

As for the residents, they feel the move is nothing less than abandoning them and the security of their families and communities.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)