Israeli Prime Minister Boosts Security After Riots in East Jerusalem

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid has ordered stronger security measures in the country due to recent clashes in East Jerusalem after assessing the security situation with the participation of law enforcement officials, the prime minister's office said.

"Prime Minister Yair Lapid, this afternoon, held a security assessment in the wake of events in eastern Jerusalem and continued preparations for the holidays," the office said in a statement, adding that extra measures were taken to strengthen local police units via the use of allocated budgetary funds.

The office noted that Lapid received a detailed report from the police and special services on the situation in Jerusalem ahead of the upcoming Jewish holidays of Simchat Torah and Sukkot. The Prime Minister approved a plan to alert security forces in the event of continued riots in Jerusalem and a possible surge in violence.

"The security forces are deployed throughout the country to enable the holiday events to be held as usual in Jerusalem and throughout the country. We are determined to allow the events to take place as usual while taking a strong and uncompromising position against terrorism and violent disturbances. The security forces will not rest until they apprehend the terrorists and those who sent them," Lapid said, as quoted by the office.

Earlier in the day, two Israeli police officers were reportedly injured and nine Palestinians detained on suspicion of involvement in overnight clashes in East Jerusalem. Violent riots broke out in several Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank amid growing tensions over the Israel Defense Forces' operations in the Shuafat Palestinian refugee camp and the Jewish visits to Joseph's Tomb, among other issues.