The Israel Police on Thursday arrested 17 Palestinian illegal residents who set up sleeping quarters in a Jerusalem school.
The Palestinians, originally from Judea and Samaria, took over parts of the school building in Beit Safafa, an Arab neighborhood in the capital’s south, establishing a compound with their own rooms, beds and showers, the police said in a statement.
The police operation was launched following complaints from concerned parents to the community-policing commander about the presence of unauthorized individuals in the building after school hours, at a time when summer camps and other activities for children are being held there.
The suspects were arrested and taken to a police station for questioning.
The Israel Police said that it takes trespassing and illegal residency “extremely seriously, particularly in places intended for children and teenagers, and will continue to act decisively and with zero tolerance against lawbreakers in order to protect public safety.”
The school’s security officer spoke with Israel’s Channel 12 about the incident, saying that the intruders were discovered by the school’s security guard.
“The guard conducted a patrol and reported seeing mattresses and personal belongings, which raised suspicions. We called the police, and since then the situation has stopped,” the security officer, who was identified only by his first name, Naim, was quoted as saying.
“We believe they had been hiding on the roof for somewhere between a week and 10 days,” he added.
Chief Inspector Yasser Swead, the community-policing commander at the Moriah Police Station, told Channel 12, “The close cooperation and direct connection with residents [in Beit Safafa] are what enable us to provide a rapid and precise response, alleviate concerns, and protect the safety of children attending summer camps and participating in summer vacation activities.”
