In a major crackdown, police said they shut down seven businesses employing or harboring more than 50 people illegally in Israel, adding to one business shut down earlier.
The closures on Thursday come as part of a weeklong operation directed by Northern District Commander Meir Eliyahu. The operation was conducted by Northern District police, Border Police, the National Guard, and local immediate response teams.
Throughout the operation, hundreds of those illegally in the country were captured, along with those suspected of employing, harboring, or aiding them.
Eliyahu signed 30-day closure orders for seven places of business. These included three building sites operated by the same company, which employed a total of 23 illegally in Israel; a vegetable store in Nazareth in which two illegals were caught; an aluminum business in Migdal Ha’emek in which five were caught; a shwarma store employing two illegals; and a cafe in Kafr Kanna, which had been converted into a boarding house for those illegally in the country, where 19 were caught.
Arabic book on Hitler found
On Tuesday, another building site was shut down in Bat Yam after it was discovered that a worker illegally in Israel had been employed there and was sleeping at the location. A book in Arabic featuring a picture of Adolf Hitler was also found on the site. The illegal worker was arrested, and his employer was detained for questioning.
The crackdown on those illegally in Israel came after the terror attack carried out on December 26 by an illegal worker employed by an Israeli business, using the employer’s car. The terrorist succeeded in killing two and wounding several others.
The terrorist, Ahmed Abu al-Rov, from the West Bank, was arrested and is in custody, along with his two brothers, who were transferred for questioning.