The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) slammed the Jerusalem police in a blistering report released today, in honor of “Jerusalem Day”, about police behavior in Palestinian east Jerusalem toward Arab residents.

The organization accused the police of contributing to a serious and steady decline in the personal safety of Arab residents of occupied east Jerusalem, and their distrust of the Jerusalem police.

Police in east Jerusalem (photo: Activestills)

“Over the past year, the excessive use of riot-control measures in the heart of crowded residential areas has become all too commonplace,” the organization stated in the report, citing the alleged death of an asthmatic toddler in Issawiyya, who died after inhaling copious amounts of tear gas.

ACRI’s overview details the continued decline in personal safety in East Jerusalem and documents the severe conduct of the Israeli police.

Summary of ACRI’s findings:

• Rift between Police and Residents: Palestinians view the police as a hostile force, rarely calling the Jerusalem police to assist them when in need.
• “No Man’s Land” beyond the Barrier: Jerusalem residents of neighborhoods cut off by the Separation Barrier complain of a total absence of police presence.
• Police Conduct during Rioting: Riot-control measures, such as tear gas and rubber bullets, are often used excessively in the center of crowded neighborhoods.
• Selective Enforcement: Arabs and Jews are not treated equally when filing complaints; freedom of movement is enforced selectively.
• Restraining Orders and Intimidation of Activists: 122 Palestinian residents have been restricted from entering parts of the city in the past two years; activists are summoned for a “cautionary” questioning in police stations.
• Youth Law Ignored In Arrests of Minors: 1,200 minors were questioned in 2010 in relation to stone-throwing; some suffered violence and harassment and were handled in violation of Youth Law regulations.

ACRI’s experience in East Jerusalem shows that when law enforcement officials have expressed genuine interest in changing the reality for the better, and when they have done so through dialogue and cooperation with residents, there have been dramatic changes on the ground for the benefit of all concerned. Conversely, when the police have chosen an approach of alienation, exclusion, and refusal to understand residents’ concerns, it has been impossible to bridge the rift between the two sides.

According to ACRI “Only a transformation of consciousness and a fundamental change in priorities will enable law enforcement officials to create a different reality for local Palestinian residents – one without intimidation and fear of continuous abuse, violence and dispossession. This transformation is necessary to protect personal and public safety in East Jerusalem, to ensure the rule of law, and to protect the human rights of all”.

To download the full overview (in English), click here.