IDF moving to strip weapons from Jewish settlements around Jerusalem

The IDF ordered all settlements around Jerusalem to return IDF-issued weapons within 24 hours.

By World Israel News Staff

On Sunday, security liaisons in the settlements surrounding Jerusalem received an IDF order to gather all weapons belonging to the Israel Defense Forces that have been distributed among settlement residents and return them to the IDF within 24 hours.

The reason given for the order is that security is in the hands of the border police, Israel Hayom reported on Monday.

The settlements include Kfar Adumim, Nofei Prat, Anatot, Beit Horin, Har Gilo, Givat Ze’ev, Givon Hahadasha, Givon Hayashan, Har Adar and Kedar Zemani.

Only two or three weapons will be left to the security liaison.

“The meaning is that if the order is carried out all the settlements in the Jerusalem envelope will remain in fact without military weapons that are meant to be used in case of emergency in which residents are jumped, as in a terrorist infiltration,” Israel Hayom reports.

“A portion of the weapons are held in the houses of residents, and a portion in armories,” the paper says.

Israel Hayom reports that the collection of weapons was supposed to take place last week but was put on hold at the last minute by the IDF.

The paper reports that the action was not supposed to take place until a discussion was held about the security situation between residents and the Army. The security liaisons were surprised when they received the order on Sunday to collect the weapons anyway.

Settlement sources said that the IDF decision abandons their security by stripping weapons from the security groups within the settlements, Israel Hayom reports.

The storm that was created has caused the IDF to halt the process at this point, Israel Hayom says. The IDF said, “No decision has been taken on gathering weapons from any settlement. In this matter, organizational planning will be carried out among the relevant bodies.”