Just a few minutes after the diplomatic security Cabinet ended its meeting on the evening of Sept. 24, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood before the news cameras. With a stern face, he presented the steps that his government would be taking in its “fight against those who throw rocks and firebombs and shoot fireworks,” noting that these steps had been approved unanimously at the meeting.

Legally, Netanyahu did not need to summon the Cabinet to approve the series of harsh measures that he had already agreed upon with Minister of Internal Security Gilad Erdan. He did, however, need to put on a show, if only for the sake of his image. The wave of terrorism raging in Jerusalem in recent weeks has severely damaged the capital residents' sense of personal security. Ever since the unrest began, it has figured prominently on the national agenda. The situation has gotten so serious that it threatens to undermine Netanyahu’s public standing as “Mr. Security.”

That is why Netanyahu wanted to face the media front on his own to tell them about the Cabinet’s decisions. Erdan may have helped put together the plan, but Netanyahu did not want him on stage beside him. It was important for Netanyahu to show that he himself was leading the campaign against the terror of rocks and Molotov cocktails.

The steps decided upon by the Cabinet include, first and foremost, amending existing open-fire orders and extending them to the police. The revised orders include permission to use sniper rifles (Ruger rifles) in certain situations. According to Netanyahu, “Until recently, police would open fire only when their own lives were in danger. As of now, they will be permitted to open fire — and they will know that they have the right to open fire — when they face danger to any lives.” What this really means is that police will now be allowed to open fire at minors, if they feel that lives are threatened.