Palestinian Cell Antennas in Jerusalem's Old City Raise Security Concerns

Dozens of Palestinian cellular network antennas, serving residents of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, have been erected in the heart of Jerusalem's Old City, raising significant security concerns. These independent communication infrastructures operate in violation of Israeli sovereignty, according to security officials. A field investigation revealed that physical antennas from two Palestinian cellular networks are deployed throughout the Old City. A simple test demonstrated that dialing the emergency number 100 from a device with a Palestinian SIM card within the Old City does not connect to Israeli police but is routed directly to the Palestinian police emergency center.

Under the Oslo Accords, Palestinian cellular operators are permitted to serve their subscribers within Israel only through data roaming agreements that rely on connecting to Israeli communication company infrastructure. However, mapping within the Old City walls indicates these are not roaming connections but physical antenna installations. Dan, a cybersecurity researcher residing in the Old City, identified and mapped 22 distinct Palestinian antennas scattered throughout the alleys, particularly in the Christian Quarter, providing full reception coverage for users of Palestinian networks.

Beyond the issue of governance, experts warn of a severe security risk. The installation of 2G and 3G antennas allows hostile elements to monitor and eavesdrop on communications in the area. "Not only the Palestinian Authority, but Hamas, and Iran, all of them can eavesdrop on you," stated the researcher.

The Ministry of Communications stated that upon receiving the inquiry, enforcement officials initiated an investigation with the relevant party to obtain the antenna locations for review. The Jerusalem Municipality confirmed that no building permits or approvals were issued for the construction of these Palestinian cellular antennas within the city. The municipality added that regulation of communication infrastructure and antenna deployment falls under the exclusive authority of the Ministry of Communications and the Ministry of Environmental Protection, and any reported violations will be examined by the relevant professional bodies.