Huge Rioters’ Cache Seized

Israeli authorities have seized a huge shipment of weaponry including swords, knives, Tasers and banned fireworks destined for an Arab section of eastern Yerushalayim, according to media reports on Thursday.

The toolkit for mayhem, concealed among home decorations in two shipping containers from China, was intercepted by detectives and officers from the Tax Authority and the Ashdod Port Customs.

Police said they found some 18,000 fireworks of the restricted 20mm variety, along with 5,200 commando knives, 5,500 Tasers, 4,300 flashlights convertible into Tasers, and 1,000 swords.

On Tuesday, the Knesset Economics Committee voted to ban the import of fireworks through February 15, noting that the explosives had been used as weapons against security forces in clashes. Last week, an IDF officer suffered a serious hand injury from fireworks that were thrown at him.

“Fireworks have become a significant danger to the security forces, and we must eliminate their use as a weapon,” said committee vice chairman MK Karin Elharar (Yesh Atid).

This article appeared in print on page 9 of the November 21st, 2014 edition of Hamodia.