Police are preparing for Friday, March 30, 2012, Land Day, the annual observance of the Israeli Arab community against Israel’s land expropriations in the 1970s. Nissim Maor, who heads the department’s operations division told reporters that a large deployment of forces will be seen in many areas, with a focus on “sensitive areas” which includes Jerusalem, the Old City and of course Har HaBayis and the Kosel areas. The senior commander explains “police are ready for any and every eventuality”. He adds that regarding Land Day, there are no concrete credible intelligence reports pointing to planned violence.

Police Chief Yochanan Danino concurs; stressing his department is indeed ready for the day’s events. He adds police will not tolerate any violence and will respond swiftly to any attempt to break the law. Danino ordered raising the operational level to “Gimmel”, the highest short of declaring a state of emergency.

Police signal that restrictions will be in place on Har HaBayis on Friday, which usually means no one under 45 is permitted on the Mount and only persons with Israeli identity cards, barring PA (Palestinian Authority) residents.

Regarding the Global March to Jerusalem, Maor told reporters that Israel Police is working closely with the IDF and the latter is quite ready to face the threat of marchers challenging Israel’s borders.

In Lebanon, army officials have signaled marchers will not be permitted to get near the border, but such promises in the past panned out to be just that, promises that were not kept. Jordan has released statements that Amman will permit lawful marches but no one will be permitted to get near the border to Israel.

The main concerns surround the possibility for violence across the Syrian and Lebanese borders.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)