Remove metal detectors or region will 'explode,' warned Shin Bet

Israeli TV Channel 2 said yesterday that the Israeli cabinet decided to remove metal detectors and cameras at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque fearing one or more out of four horrific scenarios could take place if they didn’t, Quds Press reported.

Israeli intelligence services Shin Bet proposed the four scenarios during a cabinet meeting, suggesting that the situation in the region would have exploded should the detectors and cameras not be removed. According to Channel 2 the Israeli army leadership supported Shin Bet’s expectations.

The first scenario was a new intifada; the second is that Fatah could have become involved; the third is escalation with Hezbollah and the fourth is an Islamic union between Iran, Turkey and other large countries.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that a number of Israeli cabinet members rejected a vote on the removal of the metal detectors before the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu succeeded in passing it.

Read: Israel removes metal detectors from Al-Aqsa, replaces with cameras

On 14 July Palestinians started wide protests against Israel’s punishing measures against Al-Aqsa Mosque and Palestinians in Jerusalem, which included placing electronic detectors at the gates of the mosque.

Four Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army as they violently cracked down on the protests and more than 1,100 others were wounded according to the Palestinian Red Crescent.