Israeli army & police reinforce troops to confront increased terror threats over upcoming Jewish High Holidays

Ahead of the Jewish High Holidays, which begin on Monday evening with the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah, Israel’s security forces announced preparatory measures to confront the heightened terror threats.

In recent decades, the Jewish holidays have always been a time when Israel’s enemies have redoubled their efforts to attack it.

This year, the ongoing war in Gaza continues to serve as a source of incitement for terror attacks, especially in Judea and Samaria. In addition, the announcements of recognition of a "State of Palestine" by several nations at a U.N. conference are also expected to inflame tension on the ground.

The Israel Defense Forces announced Monday after a multi-front situational assessment that dozens of training battalions from across the IDF will be placed on alert and reinforce “defensive and offensive missions in various sectors.”

“The IDF has bolstered combat zones with forces in the air, at sea, on land, and across all operational units throughout the country,” the military stated.

A special emphasis will be placed on Judea and Samaria. The head of the IDF’s Central Command, which is responsible for securing the area, warned on Monday that “multiple vectors have converged, leading to a heating up of the central arena.”

Maj.-Gen. Avi Blot said these include “political declarations, the holidays and the olive harvest, external intentions, and the inspiration and contagion of the lone assailant. All of these are not reasons for optimism.”

The Central Command aims to keep its sector quiet to enable the military to concentrate on the ongoing fighting in Gaza. “Judea and Samaria is like coffee heating on a finjan – you always have to know how to manage the flame so the coffee doesn’t boil over,” a senior source in Central Command told Ynet News.

“Right now we have good coffee brewing in the West Bank, and we must make sure it doesn’t boil over on us during this sensitive time,” he added. “In the West Bank, we analyze trends in hindsight. It is difficult to know what will cause an eruption – an attack, a photo, a protest, a statement, a declaration. Anything is possible, and we are preparing for it.”

Police Commissioner Daniel Levy has also ordered to increase the presence of officers on the streets and in public spaces to deter attacks. In addition, Levy instructed to increase enforcement operations against illegal infiltrators from Judea and Samaria to Israel proper, reinforce the volunteer system and emergency response teams, deploy more senior commanders to stations, and other measures.

Levy himself will tour police stations across the country to inspect their readiness ahead of Rosh Hashanah eve.

Jerusalem has often been a highly sensitive area, where a “small” terror attack can cause a wave of other attacks across Judea and Samaria, or the rest of the country.

The police have begun taking special measures there since last month, with the sharp increase of Jewish worshippers to the Old City.

A special emphasis has been put on incitement and support for terrorism, including online. Over the past days, police arrested two residents of East Jerusalem on suspicion of incitement, Ynet News reported.

One of them had declared support for Hamas and quoted statements from former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, while the other had possessed a Hamas flag.  

The police’s Tel Aviv and Central Districts also went on high alert ahead of the new year, sending hundreds of police officers out into the streets, to shopping centers, open markets, and entertainment venues. Security guards in malls were instructed to increase inspections, and additional checkpoints were set up to catch potential infiltrators.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised Israel’s security forces on Monday as he wished the people of Israel, the Jewish people abroad, and the “dear supporters of Israel around the world, a happy New Year.

“As the Jewish New Year begins, we see a rising tide of antisemitism in many countries. I say to every Jew, wherever you may be, you are not alone. Israel will always be your home.”

“On your behalf, I say to our brave soldiers, you are the shield of our nation. The people of Israel and the Jewish people everywhere stand behind you, cherish your service and embrace you and your families,” Netanyahu said.

“From Jerusalem, the undivided eternal capital of the Jewish people, I send to every Jewish home in the world the blessings of a Happy New Year. Shanah Tova.”