Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat is critical of Public Security Minister Yitzchak Aharonovich. The mayor feels the department is not allocating sufficient resources to Jerusalem Police. The mayor cites that since the murder of Muhmad Abu-Khalid in the summer there has been an increase in violence in the capital and the mayor feels Jerusalem police have not been given the appropriate resources to halt the violence, which includes regular attacks against the Jerusalem light rail.

Responding to the report, officials in the minister’s office insist that all requisitions received from the Jerusalem district were immediately addressed, adding the minister is adamant in his efforts to halt the violence. Aides to the minister explain the minister supports a zero tolerance policy regarding such violence.

Police arrested an Arab youth on Yom Kippur for throwing rocks at Beit Orot on Har HaZeisim. Yom Kippur rock attacks were also reported at Patt Junction, and in the Armon HaNatziv and Har Choma neighborhoods. In the northern capital neighborhood of N’vei Yaakov, a bullet struck a balcony that was fired from the nearby Arab community of A-Ram. Police report it was mistaken fire, not an intentional attack. B’chasdei Hashem no one was killed or injured in the shooting incident. There were no reports of injuries in the rock attacks.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)