Today is the celebration of the third Friday in the month of Ramadan, and the police are taking extra measures to ensure a safe and peaceful environment for worshipers visiting the holy places. Over 2,300 police officers, MGB fighters, and national reinforcements will be deployed throughout Jerusalem under the command of Superintendent Doron Turgeman. Special attention will be given to the crossings surrounding Jerusalem, the eastern part of the city, and the alleys of the Old City. The police will also increase their presence on traffic routes to respond to any scenario and provide optimal services to the public.
Several roads around the Old City will be closed to vehicular traffic between 6:00 AM to 4:30 PM, and others may be closed as needed. Bar Lev Blvd, Derech Hebron, Parachute St, Engineering Corps St, and the IDF tunnel are some of the roads that may be closed. The public is advised to take the Begin road as an alternative route.
Muslims have been arriving at the Temple Mount in large numbers for Ramadan prayers, and the police urge worshipers to prevent lawbreakers and violent troublemakers from disrupting their routine and desecrating the mosque. The police report an increase in incitement on social media by terrorist organizations to disrupt the prayers and visits to the Temple Mount.
The third Friday in the number of the month of Ramadan is celebrated today (Friday), and the police are being prepared in an increased manner in order to allow freedom of religion and worship for the many worshipers who will come to the holy places, while maintaining security and order and directing traffic. About 2,300 Jerusalem District police officers, MGB fighters and national reinforcements, under the command of Jerusalem District Commander Superintendent Doron Turgeman, will operate and be deployed throughout the city of Jerusalem tomorrow. The police will operate with increased forces in particular in the crossings surrounding Jerusalem, in the east of the city in the area and in the alleys of the Old City.
Also, the current security system will be thickened, and police activity will be increased on the traffic routes, with the aim of providing an optimal response to every scenario and providing optimal police services to the public. This, while the police will continue to work to maintain public order as well as direct the crowd and regulate traffic.
Changes in traffic regulations
Tomorrow, between the hours of 06:00-16:30, the following roads around the Old City will be closed to vehicular traffic:
Sultan Suleiman, Wadi Jose, Jericho Road, Shmuel Ben Adia, Ofel Road, Nablus Road, Salah al-Din, Ma’alot Ir David, Van Passen, Naomi Kiss.
From the morning until the afternoon, the following roads will be closed to vehicle traffic as needed:
• Bar Lev Blvd. from Meta Artzi intersection towards the south of the city (traffic will be directed to the Eshkol Tunnel).
• Derech Hebron from Miriam Hashmonaite Street towards the north of the city (traffic will be directed to Derech Bethlehem).
• Parachute St.
• Engineering Corps St.
• The IDF tunnel.
In the meantime, the motoring public is asked to travel on the Begin road as an alternative route.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims have so far arrived at the Temple Mount for Ramadan prayers in the first half. To prevent disturbances at the site, the police stated: “In the last two days, there have been many attempts by hundreds of rioters and rioters who have fortified themselves on the Temple Mount, to destroy the holiday and disrupt the routine of prayers and visits to the Temple Mount. This attempt is the result of increasing incitement on social media, among other things by terrorist organizations. The police call on the praying public to act in every way to prevent those lawbreakers and violent troublemakers from disrupting the Muslims’ Ramadan routine and desecrating the mosque.”