Police Arrest 80 Illegal Arab Workers

Security officials in recent days rounded up 80 illegal Arab workers who were in Israel without permits. Police and Border Guards conducted a joint operation targeting the Chevron Hills area, and arrested the lawbreakers in the area between the Tarqumiye crossing west of Chevron, and Meitar, north of Be’er Sheva. Most of those arrested were from Chevron and Yatta, a town south of Chevron that has produced numerous terrorists.

During the operation, forces also found a suspicious vehicle that had been reported stolen from the Bedouin town of Rahat in December. Driving the vehicle was an Israeli Arab resident of Ramle, who is suspected of running a transportation service to smuggle illegal Arab workers into Israel. At least one of the 80 illegals was found carrying weapons.

IDF soldiers overnight Monday seized weapons that were to be used in terror attacks. Soldiers, working with police, discovered weapons in the Arab town Beit Khil, near Chevron. Among the weapons was an M-16 rifle. The owner of the house was arrested and questioned on what the weapons were doing there.

In a statement, the army said that such weapons were used in terror attacks as well as for criminal activity, and that security forces were determined to seize all weapons that were being held illegally by all people, in order to better protect all Israelis and residents of Palestinian Authority-controlled areas, who are also under threat by terrorists and criminals.