Ben-Gvir claims about 'Operation Guardian of Walls 2' harmful: Media

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Israeli occupation Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir instructed the Israeli police to prepare to kick off the so-called Operation Guardian of the Walls 2 against the Palestinian people in occupied Al-Quds.

Ben-Gvir's orders will go into effect on Sunday, Israeli media said, with the Police Ministry claiming that the operation would be aimed at deterring Palestinians from carrying out resistance operations.

Ben-Gvir's order came after a meeting aimed at evaluating the situation in occupied Palestine, which was attended by the Inspector General of the Israeli occupation and the Police Commander in occupied Al-Quds. The meeting took place in the wake of a ramming operation that saw two illegal Israeli settlers killed and five others injured.

The media also said there was a state of panic and confusion among the police in Al-Quds, following a report about a second operation.

Israeli media claimed that the driver was 31-year-old Palestinian Hussein Qaraqe from the Al-Isawiya neighborhood, east of occupied Al-Quds, who was shot dead by an Israeli occupation soldier at the scene.

Israeli occupation Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said he had decided to seal and demolish the home of the driver.

The operation comes a couple of days after Israeli media reported, citing the occupation forces, that at least seven Resistance fighters were killed in a heavy exchange of fire in the Aqabat Jaber camp, near Areeha.

There is no "Operation Guardian of the Walls 2"

A senior Israeli official criticized Ben-Gvir's statements, underlining that the decisions regarding a large-scale "military operation" are not taken at a bus station on the sidewalk.

"Ben-Gvir did not coordinate with the Prime Minister or the Security Minister before authorizing and launching Operation Guardian of the Walls 2, and thus Ben-Gvir has no authority to announce it," the official underlined.

The head of the Israeli opposition, former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, said Ben-Gvir gave instructions for "Operation Guardian of the Walls 2" without assessing the situation and without coordination between the security forces, adding that "if the matter is not dangerous, then it is really ridiculous."

The former head of the Operations Directorate in the Israeli occupation forces, Israel Ziv, commented on Ben-Gvir's statements, saying he must "stop making meaningless statements, as they are inflammatory and will lead to counterproductive results."

Ben Gvir's statements are Hamas' biggest success, as they make us escalate in Al-Quds, which means an escalation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well, Ziv said.

A former senior Shin Bet official, Adi Carmi, said Ben-Gvir's statements were harmful.

Moreover, the former commander of the Israeli occupation Navy, Eliezer Marom, said any talks about "Operation Guardian of the Walls 2 were irresponsible and not serious. If there was a decision to carry out this operation, I do not think that the police would be able to carry it out."

Israeli Police Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, argued in late January that as the situation intensifies, there is a growing risk of a second battle similar to the last battle on the Gaza strip, noting that "Israel" needs to face many of its since-discovered vulnerabilities on the military level.

Israeli media quoted Ben-Gvir during a joint press conference with the Israeli occupation Police Commissioner, Kobi Shabtai, where he said that "in all assessments of the situation there is a clear danger," and warned that "the central threat before us ['Israel'] is the 'Guardian of the Walls 2' scenario at the door, and in a scenario like this there is only one way out – the establishment of a National Guard."

Furthermore, Ben-Gvir added that "We have reached a solution...we will raise the salaries of all policemen...by 20 to 40 percent." The Police Minister then requested that all Israeli Occupation Forces deserters return to their posts.