In one of the recent nights, the Jerusalem Police together with Border Police forces exposed the scale of the phenomenon once again: dozens of illegal Palestinian workers were discovered hiding in different corners of the city and in an Arab village near Jerusalem. Some tried to blend into the local routine, others chose to conceal themselves behind walls or under blankets. The outcome was a series of arrests, criminal files opened, and the suspects returned to the West Bank
Jerusalem Police in ongoing pursuit
During the operation, spread across the capital with emphasis on East Jerusalem, police officers and Border Police fighters located 24 illegal Palestinians. Alongside them, a suspect who had driven some of them in his car was also arrested. All were taken in for questioning, and criminal proceedings were launched
Meanwhile, in the Arab village near Jerusalem, including the town known as Abu Ghosh, detectives from the Harel station entered a local construction site and found one illegal worker sitting inside heavy machinery. Further searches revealed three more suspects hiding in a container and another three sleeping on mattresses inside a nearby office
Illegal workers in East Jerusalem
In the Issawiya neighborhood of East Jerusalem, police discovered a container used as a permanent shelter for illegal Palestinians. Outside, one suspect was spotted speaking on his phone. Inside, nine more were found – some trying to hide behind walls, others lying under blankets to avoid detection
The next morning, Border Police noticed another suspect attempting to disguise himself as a customer in a café in central Jerusalem. Checks showed he was a Hebron resident whose entry permit had expired
(Footage: IDF demolishes terrorist’s home – Jerusalem’s pain)
Arrests on Highway 1
On Highway 1 near Sha’ar HaGai interchange, detectives from the Harel station stopped a truck carrying six Palestinians without entry permits. The driver, a resident of East Jerusalem, was arrested on suspicion of transporting illegal workers
According to the Jerusalem Police, these daily operations aim not only to enforce the law but also to strengthen the sense of public security in the capital and its surroundings. Investigations in these cases are ongoing
Human rights and Jerusalem in focus
Behind every photo of a mattress or a cooking pot lies a double life – individuals searching for work, shelter, or simply a chance to survive. For Jerusalem residents, the phenomenon is often seen as a security threat; for the Palestinians, it may be the only way to earn a living. This tension between security needs and human reality once again puts Jerusalem at the heart of the international conversation
