Israeli minister calls to beef up Jerusalem security after hostage deal

(JNS) — Israel’s cabinet minister in charge of Jerusalem affairs on Sunday asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to increase security in the city ahead of the release of hundreds of Palestinian hostages in exchange for Israeli hostages in Gaza.

Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Jewish Heritage Meir Porush made the appeal in a letter he sent to Netanyahu and other members of the cabinet, Israel National News reported.

“The regular deployment is insufficient,” Porush wrote, according to the report. “We must ensure that there is an adequate security response to the new challenge that has arisen. This is about the security of millions of residents and visitors.”

“The release of terrorists living in eastern Jerusalem increases dramatically the security challenges throughout the city, in the absence of any buffer between their place of residence and millions of residents and visitors to all parts of the city,” the letter read.

Israel has committed to releasing 734 Palestinian prisoners and 1,167 detainees over the next six weeks in exchange for 33 hostages. Ninety prisoners were released on Sunday in exchange for three Israeli hostages. Many of those released arrived in Beitunia, a Palestinian city situated about seven miles north of Jerusalem and just 12 miles from the city’s center.

Many of the prisoners are to be deported, but some who resided in Jerusalem before their detention will be allowed to return there. One of the detainees from Jerusalem who will not be deported is Rada Abeid, 19, who belongs to the Fatah movement. He was convicted of an aggravated assault of a police officer, according to official documents.

Another is Rami Salah al-Din, 25, who was arrested in 2021 and convicted for arson, carrying unlicensed weapons and aggravated assault of a police officer.

Porush also asked for an urgent discussion by the Ministerial Committee on National Security Affairs, or Security Cabinet, about the security situation in Jerusalem.