Israel Matzav

If a terror attack is committed and no one talks about it, does it still exist?

My opinion of Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat has just sunk some more. Barkat apparently believes that if we don't talk about the terror attacks he's been unable to prevent in Jerusalem, they don't exist.

News site 0404 has published a recodring of Barkat speaking before the City Council on Thursday.

The mayor can be heard saying: “In my opinion, if people are too afraid – and we know that the problem exists – this can serve the interests of the terrorists and rioters who want to disrupt our lives. We are must make a great effort to put the city back on routine tracks. We are not ignoring the problem. We are aware of it. This discourse does not advance us, media wise.

“We are aware of the problem. This discourse does not advance us media-wise – not the city of of Jerusalem, Every time there is a discussion and great fear about some matter, immediately the merchants and the businessmen and the cultural institutes will tell you that their income is down."

...

"I am very angry at the railway people,” he says, in a reference to the Light Rail, which has been very hard hit by terror attacks. “I, the Transport Ministry and the police are very angry at them. They could have said that Light Rail is the safest means of transport and there are zero casualties. It is protected. Instead of talking about it every day, contrary to the position of the police, the Transport Ministry and the Municipality – and by the way, they are doing so for the wrong reasons.”

The fact that Jews are no longer using the Light Rail is the railways' fault, Barkat insisted. “They are causing it. They scare people for no reason. They keep on making it public. The police closed down the Light Rail twice or thrice when the police thought that there was need for this. The fact is that although windows were smashed, no one was hurt because it is protected.”

"I trust the police on this matter and it is better for this discourse to remain outside the media. We are not avoiding anything. The prime minister is worried about this and the minister for public security is worried about this and the police commissioner and the district commander and myself and all of us. We have one police force, we cannot replace it.”

 Sure - let's just pretend the problem doesn't exist. What could go wrong?

Labels: City of Jerusalem, Israel police, Jerusalem Light Rail, Jerusalem police, Nir Barkat, Palestinian terrorism

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:57 PM