Border Police uncover weapons cache hidden in a water cistern near Jerusalem

Border Police officers from the Jerusalem perimeter unit ended a multi-night operation on Thursday by uncovering a significant weapons cache hidden at the bottom of a deep water cistern in the village of Al-Jib, in the Binyamin Brigade area. The operation required repeated dives into the cistern with the help of a professional diver and Israel Fire and Rescue Services, after initial attempts by the officers could not reach the bottom because of the depth and difficult terrain.

The operation began during the week after intelligence gathered in an investigation by the unit’s criminal intelligence branch indicated that illegal weapons were concealed there. Police said officers were dispatched to the scene and first tried to descend into the cistern themselves, but the technical complexity forced them to call in additional specialists. Water was pumped out over several nights while the diver carried out repeated dives in harsh conditions.

By Thursday night, teams recovered several sealed bags containing 6 improvised long guns of the “Carlo” type, matching magazines, a box of 5.56 mm M16 ammunition, 2 cellphones, a remote detonator, a pipe bomb, an explosive device, a “brick” explosive charge, liquid explosives, multiple weapon parts, optical sights, and a bottle of gun oil. The explosives and devices were destroyed at the scene by Border Police bomb disposal experts from Judea and Samaria.

Police said the seized material was transferred for further investigative analysis and is suspected to have been intended for hostile terrorist activity. They said the operation likely prevented a serious security incident in the Jerusalem area and was a significant operational success in the ongoing effort to protect the capital and stop threats before they materialize.