Speaking to Kol HaChareidi at midnight (September 15th), Jerusalem Police Chief Ilan Franco stated he is “optimistic” and hopes the violence seen over past weeks and months have come to an end, adding Jerusalem is “kedusha” and the violence did not contribute to this atmosphere.

He added “all sides” took issues to extremes and dialogue is necessary towards maintaining calm. He is hopeful the situation, the open dialogue existed prior to the protests will resume.

When asked who wanted Karta parking lot open on Shabbos, stating Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat explained he was only complying with a police request, the chief stated “the police are always at the forefront and we are accustomed to this”.

Chief Franco stated the issue of finding a solution for the number of vehicles in the city on shabbos is an old problem that has been addressed numerous times over recent years, demanding that police find a solution to provide parking for the many vehicles visiting the capital on shabbos. Many people who received summonses complained, questioning why the city does not provide adequate parking. “City Hall provided a number of viable solutions, including Karta, and this is a good solution”.

Franco added the parking lot will not lead to the operation of additional parking lots such as Mamilla, explaining operating Karta on shabbos does not represent a new policy, but a limited solution to a major problem.

QUESTION: If there was dialogue why couldn’t a solution have been reached without violent protests? There are fears that the parking lot will attract more visitors and Jerusalem will chas v’sholom become a shabbos shopping attraction and further detract from its shabbos atmosphere.

RESPONSE: There is no fear of this. The city, working with police, remains committed to the religious status quo and no one is seeking to change the current realities of the holy city.

Chief Franco admits a solution is being worked out, but at present, one does not exist, adding dialogue with the Gavaad Eida Chareidis, HaRav Weiss Shlita and other Admorim continues on a daily basis to find the best possible solution that will permit returning to the days of quiet and tranquility.

The chief admits the protests are placing significant strain on his police, further stating the deployment of 250 or more police every shabbos results in a manpower shortage in other areas, including the need to address crime and other issues under the responsibility of the department.

QUESTION: During the stormy shabbos protests, there was one that resulted in the use of teargas and live warning fire.

RESPONSE: There was one extremely stormy protest on Route 1, and even there we used extreme restraint and did not deploy riot-control adjuncts. At the murder scene on Tzfania Street, there was a ‘normal police presence’ for a homicide scene but the violence that erupted against them was unprecedented, without justification, since they were just doing their jobs at a homicide scene, unrelated to any political tensions in the area.

13 police vehicles were damaged, 2 scooters completely dismantled, and one office sustained a comminuted skull fracture. I approved the use of stun grenades, and as the situation continued to deteriorate, also teargas. When the wounded officer explained his situation, fearing for his life, approval was given to fire three warning shots in the air, an extremely rare move in the capital, but the level of violence compelled such a response, leaving police without alternatives.

The officer remains at home and is recuperating from his injuries, and doctors were forced to remove a portion of his skull due to the complicated fracture.

The most difficult for police perhaps was the verbal abuse and acts such as spitting at officers. My troops told me they cannot tolerate this and I in turn turned to rabbonim and admorim, and they did indeed intercede as we have seen during recent weeks.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)