Illegal Arab buildings housing illicit stores were demolished by Israeli police on Sunday night. The buildings were built against the law adjacent to the Arab town of Hizma, located just east of the northern Jerusalem neighborhood Pisgat Ze'ev. The illegal buildings also were directly adjacent to an IDF security check point. Dudi Hayoun, Chief Police Superintendent for the Binyamin Region in Samaria, oversaw the demolition. In the course of operations, five illegal businesses were destroyed by IDF Civil Administration inspectors. Nine additional illegal businesses falling under the legal jurisdiction of Jerusalem were located by Jerusalem Municipality inspectors. The nine buildings were sealed and merchandise in them was seized by the inspectors. Roughly 150 IDF combat soldiers, Yassam special forces, Binyamin police and Border Patrol officers took part in the mission to ensure its safety. As noted, the Binyamin Region police oversaw the coordinated effort. The demolition was carried out for both security and criminal reasons according to police. "It's important to note that the operations come following an increase in incidents at Hizma traffic routes, including terrorist incidents and criminal incidents, in which the businesses gave the criminals and terrorists targets when Israelis stopped (to shop) at them," stated the police. Police noted that the operations took place without incident. Illegal Arab building in Samaria is something of an epidemic; just last week s ecurity forces destroyed nine illegal structures east of Shechem (Nablus), which were built directly in the line of fire on an IDF shooting range. Three of the buildings had been occupied - an active mosque, a public toilet, and a building being used as a warehouse. Two goat pens were also erected on the site.
