By Ynet Correspondents

Copyright ynetnews

Israel’s security establishment is on maximum alert ahead of Rosh Hashanah, amid warnings of potential terror attacks and a call from a senior IDF commander for vigilance despite recent operational successes. Police Commissioner Daniel Levi ordered a series of heightened measures: increased patrols, stepped-up enforcement against illegal residents, expanded volunteer deployment, the positioning of senior commanders at stations and units, readiness for riots, and continued special task forces against organized crime and terror-related offenses. Special police and Border Police units also have raised their alert level. Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and central Israel are on guard In Jerusalem, preparations began last month with security for the thousands of worshippers and visitors arriving nightly in the capital and the Old City. Security forces conducted patrols and coordination meetings, focusing heavily on monitoring incitement on social media. This week, two East Jerusalem residents were arrested on suspicion of incitement and support for terror. One, a maintenance worker, had posted content online praising Hamas and quoting slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. A Hamas flag was seized at the home of the second suspect. Police noted that dozens of suspects have been arrested in Jerusalem since the war began for similar offenses, many flagged by the district’s special monitoring unit. Police also urged licensed gun owners to carry their weapons outside their homes to provide rapid responses to potential terror attacks and bolster public confidence. Commissioner Levi is expected to tour police stations nationwide during the holiday to oversee readiness. In Tel Aviv and central Israel, hundreds of officers were deployed to shopping centers, open-air markets and entertainment venues. Mall security guards were instructed to intensify checks, roadblocks were set up at city entrances, and police increased efforts to intercept illegal residents near the seam line. “Even as you sit with your loved ones at the holiday table, our officers and fighters will be out in the field to protect you,” said Yarkon District Commander Deputy Commissioner Tzachi Sharabi. “We urge the public to remain vigilant, respect the law and report even the smallest suspicion to our 100 hotline.” IDF reinforcements in the West Bank Central Command reinforced the West Bank with two additional battalions ahead of the holiday, bringing the total to 22 battalions plus two auxiliary companies. Forces are focusing on bolstering defenses along the seam line, highways and settlements amid fears of attempted terror attacks deep inside Israel. Commanders stressed the need to keep the West Bank calm while the IDF remains heavily engaged in Gaza with Operation Gideon’s Chariots II. Central Command Chief Maj. Gen. Avi Blot pointed to significant progress in dismantling terror infrastructure over the past year, including raids in northern West Bank refugee camps, disruption of armed parades and the dismantling of militant networks. Still, recent incidents raise concern about renewed escalation: the deadly attack at Jerusalem’s Ramot Junction that killed six Israelis, the shooting at the Allenby Crossing that left two soldiers dead, the discovery of explosives in Tulkarm and Ma’ale Adumim, and the arrest of a cell producing rockets near Ramallah. Officials warn this wave could trigger copycat attacks similar to the deadly surge during the 2015 holiday season. The Allenby Crossing, reopened briefly after the attack, will close again for the holiday and remain shut until Wednesday. Security chiefs have presented contingency plans should violence flare in response to political developments. “The West Bank is like coffee brewing on a finjan—you must control the flame so it doesn’t boil over,” one senior officer said. Maj. Gen. Blot, speaking at a Border Police ceremony, added: “The many challenges ahead—the fighting in Gaza, the defense in the north, and the constant struggle in the West Bank—are compounded by political declarations, the holiday season, the olive harvest, external actors and the lone-wolf contagion. These are not reasons for optimism, but I am filled with hope because I believe in you.” Nationwide mobilization Border Police forces expanded their presence nationwide, with armed guards stationed at synagogues and sensitive sites to secure worshippers. Local security squads were activated in communities, and both police and the IDF prepared to shift instantly from routine to emergency mode. Levi ordered increased patrols in cities, highways and public gathering sites, underscoring the dual mission: preventing terror and unrest on one hand, and continuing the fight against serious crime on the other.