Israel introduces new stop and frisk laws

An Israeli border police officer searching a Palestinian man at the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem's Old City ahead of Friday prayers on October 23, 2015. Israel’s parliament has passed a law expanding police powers to stop and frisk suspected criminals as the country faces over four months of near-daily Palestinian attacks on Israelis. Ariel Schalit/AP PhotoShow less

JERUSALEM // Israel’s parliament yesterday gave police the power to stop and search people at random.

Critics say the new law will allow police to racially profile minorities and Arabs.

Police previously could search only those they suspected of carrying a weapon. Under the new law, officers can search anyone in areas declared by district police commanders to be possible settings for “hostile sabotage activity”. They can also search people they suspect might commit violent crime.

Israel’s internal security minister Gilad Erdan from the Likud party said the law was “an important enhancement of the police’s ability to more effectively battle terrorism and violence”.

Jamal Zahalka, an Arab member of the Knesset, said it was “clear the main people affected will be Arabs and people who look like Arabs”.

Since September, at least 151 Palestinians have been shot dead by Israeli forces and private security guards, including 106 who Israel alleged were attackers. Palestinians killed 26 Israelis in the same period, mostly by stabbing.

In October, Israel approved new measures to crack down on violence, including allowing police to impose a closure on points of friction or incitement according to security assessments. Israel also resumed the demolition of homes belonging to alleged Palestinian attackers, leaving their families without a roof over their heads.

Yesterday Israeli forces demolished more than a dozen buildings in a disputed military zone in the southern West Bank, leaving more families homeless.

Soldiers destroyed 24 structures in and around the village of Khirbet Jenbah south of Hebron, the Association of Civil Rights in Israel said. Israeli officials said the structures were illegal.

Forces arrived at about 7am local time and carried out the demolitions, leaving 12 families temporarily homeless, said Nidal Younes, head of a local village council.

“In total it is around 80 people,” he said.

Israel says home demolitions deter attacks, but critics say they are collective punishment.

* Associated Press and Agence France-Presse