Israel police prepare for potential riots after Palestinian UN bid
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Xinhua, September 19, 2011
The Israeli police have announced the completion of a full-scale riot-control drill, as the United Nations sets to vote on the Palestinian statehood.
Despite optimistic assessments that the UN vote will not necessarily be followed with violence, the Israeli police are taking no chances.
In a briefing to reporters at the national headquarters in Jerusalem on Sunday, the police chief, Insp. Gen. Yohanan Danino said his forces were ready for an abrupt outbreak of violence.
"The exercise was held to ensure that all systems are working. We tested various scenarios again and again," The Jerusalem Post quoted Danino as saying.
He emphasized that while the drill was "realistic," the police will be "happy not to use any of these measures."
While the focus is on potential mass demonstrations sweeping the West Bank, Israel's security establishment is also bracing for the possibility of violence spreading to Arab towns within Israel, eastern Jerusalem and along the Syrian and Lebanese borders.
Danino said the police would allow Israel's Arab citizens as well as Palestinians living within the country's jurisdiction to hold non-violent rallies, adding that no intelligence information pointing to "planned disturbances" has been received, according to The Jerusalem Post.
The number of riot-police officers currently on duty has been increased from 5,000 to 7,400, with another 1,500 officers on standby, the head of operations, Nissim Mor told reporters.
The forces have been assigned to 16 command and control centers have been set up across the country, with a large number of officers already deployed in and around Jerusalem.
Mor said the officers have undergone training in the use of riot dispersal means, including stink grenades and other non- lethal devices.
Speaking at a counter-terrorism conference last Monday, Danino said Palestinian demonstrations would be "treated" no differently than recent social welfare protests in Israel.
"The police have been instructed to behave in protests in the same manner that they behaved with (the Israeli) tent activists -- with patience and sensitivity -- in order to prevent events from deteriorating," Danino said.
He did, however, issue a stern warning that violations of law and order would be dealt with "immediately and without compromise. "
The Israeli army, for its part, has altered its deployment ahead of the UN vote, with extra battalions already deployed in the West Bank on heightened alert, a source told Xinhua Monday.
The army has been rehearsing a host of scenarios, from peaceful demonstrations to riots and shooting attacks.
The Palestinian security chiefs, during meetings with their Israeli counterparts in recent months, said they would do their best to contain events and prevent violent clashes between Palestinian demonstrators and Israelis.
