IDF, Police Seize Illegal Weapons from Criminals, Terrorists

IDF soldiers and police overnight Monday shut down a warehouse near Beit Lechem where illegal weapons, as well as the equipment to produce them, were being stored. Also being stored were items that appear to have been stolen from Israelis. Police said that the weapons were being held illegally and were set to be used in a terror attack.

Over the weekend, police in the Israeli Arab town of Jaljuliye, near Kfar Sava, shut down a similar warehouse. Two Arabs in their 20s were arrested for illegal possession of weapons. Police said that Jaljuliye was a “known center” of organized crime activity in Israel, and that many of the weapons obtained by criminals were often used in terror attacks as well.

“We will continue to determinedly fight against the phenomenon of illegal weapons without compromised, and will continue to work with all the relevant organizations and agencies to track down these weapons. Our objective is to increase security for Israelis and enable them to conduct their lives in a peaceful manner on a daily basis,” police said in a statement.

Overnight Monday, security officials said they arrested 17 wanted security suspects in other areas in Yehudah and Shomron. The suspects were wanted for participating in rioting and throwing stones and firebombs that endangered Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers. Several of the suspects were also charged with belonging to Hamas. All were being questioned on their activities by security forces.