Women in Green sent a letter of gratitude to the Police Commissioner and the Commander of the Jerusalem District for the way in which they conducted the security of the Tisha b’Av walk, despite threats from agents of radical Islam.

Women in Green, via Atty. Prof. Aviad Hacohen, sent a letter of gratitude to the Police commissioner and the commander of the Jerusalem District for the way in which they ensured the security of the Walk of Tisha b’Av eve.

 

We note that just a few days before the traditional walk, the leadership of the Jerusalem District of the Police notified the heads of Women in Green, Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, that in light of the violent incidents in east Jerusalem in general and the Temple Mount in particular, the police would weigh whether to allow the route of the walk or order that it be changed.

 

For Women in Green, a decision to change the route of the walk would have meant cancelling the walk, which represents the preservation of an ancient tradition of hundreds of years around the walls of Jerusalem. The movement expressed concern about the  ramifications of such a decision, which would be submitting to the dictates of Islamic terror in Jerusalem.

 

In the days preceding Tisha B’Av, the heads of the movement, Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, expressed their confidence that the police would issue their approval for the traditional route of the walk.  “It was clear to us that as in any other place, when criminals  cause a disturbance to the public’s routine life, the police would restrict the movement of rioters and their ability to prevent the public’s routine life and not restrict the freedom of movement for the public”, say the two women.

 

And indeed, the march was approved in its traditional route. Thousands of participants took part with full security and there were no disturbances under the tight security of the district police officers and the Border Police, who were deployed throughout the entire length of the route as well as in the adjacent streets, preventing any friction between hostile elements and the participants of the march.

 

It should be noted that the district police made this decision despite the call that was issued by Islamist agitators in eastern Jerusalem to “come and stop the settlers’ march”, as they defined it. This call, whether it was heeded or not, had no influence on the decision by the district commissioner, Major General Halevi, and the command’s staff. Attached is the flyer distributed by the Arab inciters against the Walk.

 

As noted, in consequence of this decision and the effective way that the district police handled the matter, Women in Green sent a letter of gratitude to the Police Commissioner, Chief Superintendent Roni Alsheikh, and the District Commander, Major General Yoram Halevi.

 

Atty. Prof. Hacohen writes in the letter, that: “With the successful completion of the traditional walk of Tisha b’Av eve around the walls of the Old City, in which, this year as well, thousands of participants took part, I hereby would like to extend heartfelt gratitude in the name of my clients,  Ms. Yehudit Katsover and Ms. Nadia Matar, of the movement Women for Israel’s Tomorrow – Women in Green, and the thousands of people who took part in the walk. Thanks to the dedication of the police operatives, both overt and covert, who worked, and continue to work, night and day, on behalf of the public’s peace and security, this year as well – despite the prior warnings and threats – the walk proceeded as planned, in exemplary order, without disturbance and for this we offer you our thanks and our appreciation”.

 

Prof. Hacohen concludes his letter with hope for the future: “We hope that in the coming years as well, we will merit this active participation on behalf of Jerusalem and all who love her”.