Israel tightens security measures against stone throwers

PTI
JERUSALEM, SEPTEMBER 25

Israel approved a series of harsh measures, including use of live fire, harsh tougher jail sentences and hefty fines, against petrol bombers and stone throwers amid a rise in violence by Palestinian protesters in the Jewish nation. The measures approved by the Security Cabinet include giving police officers greater power to fire at stone-throwers in Jerusalem, including with .22 caliber rifles. Other steps include a minimum of four-year sentence for stone-throwing and stiff fines for parents of young offenders.
The provision also allow jail time and fines for minors under 14 and strips the child welfare benefits for imprisoned minors.
“The security cabinet has decided to authorise police to use live ammunition against people throwing stones and Molotov cocktails, when the life of a third person is threatened and no longer only when a police officer is threatened,” a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office said. Until now, police could open fire only when the officer’s life was in danger but now has the clearance to open fire if any life is in danger.
Israel’s Public Security Minister, Gilad Erdan, agreed with the stance taken by the police, which stated that it is impossible to tell whether stone-throwers are minors or adults (most of them are masked), meaning they could take action against all without ascertaining their age.
The Israeli Prime Minister also noted after the meeting that “the possibility of imposing minimum fines on the parents of minors aged 12-14 and the imposition of one year bonds on the parents of minors under age 12, will be legally evaluated.”
Mr. Netanyahu has been pushing to change the rules of engagement on stone throwing protesters amid a surge in rock-throwing and firebomb attacks in Jerusalem and the West Bank in recent weeks.
One such attack proved fatal last Sunday night when an Israeli driver was killed crashing his car into a pole after coming under attack by rock-throwers in Jerusalem.
Last week, on the eve of the Jewish new year, tensions boiled over when Palestinians barricaded themselves inside the mosque and threw rocks and firecrackers at police.
The ensuing battle soon led to pitched battles in other parts of the country with Palestinians attacking police and by passers with rocks and firebombs.
An irked Netanyahu “declared war” on stone throwers and brushed aside objections from legal quarters to frame these new rules of engagement to quell the phenomenon.