Police remove east Jerusalem roadblocks after 'achievement of stability'

Police say that the goal of the changes was to "enable the greater public to get back to their regular and safe daily routines."

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Updated: NOVEMBER 4, 2015 16:09
Roadblock. (photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Roadblock.
(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)
Police announced Wednesday that they were removing some of the roadblocks that were set up in east Jerusalem to deal with a spate of terror attacks in the capital which have subsided in the past two weeks.
Jerusalem Police said in a statement that the goal of the changes was to "enable the greater public to get back to their regular and safe daily routines."
Police put up the barriers in the middle of last month at the entrances to several east Jerusalem neighborhoods from which Palestinian terrorists who carried out dozens of attacks in the capital hailed. Five Israelis were killed and dozens more were wounded in the capital during the string of attacks.
Police said Wednesday that "the change in road blocks and their removal from some points in the city comes about as a result of the achievement of a certain security stability which enables this policy of easing conditions."
The police added, however, that any escalation in security tensions that endangers peace in the capital "will lead police to put in place the full range of methods at its disposal against terrorist elements and rioters."
Among the roadblocks being removed was one in Jebl Mukaber, which borders the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood that was targeted by several attacks, including one in which three people were killed.
The Jerusalem District Police will continue to operate with an extra reinforcement of forces on the ground.
Police said, in an apparent message to local leaders in east Jerusalem neighborhoods, that local acts to maintain calm in the capital would be met with further gestures of good will for the public in those areas.