Photo Credit: Hadas Parush / Flash 90
An Israeli police officer prays at the Western Wall as a group of other officers pose for a picture, before a Memorial Day ceremony held at Judaism's holiest site, in Jerusalem's Old City, May 10, 2016.

The Israel Police Department has announced it is offering a special benefits package for recruits who serve in the capital city of Jerusalem.

The department is hoping to attract some 1,200 new officers, but so far only 200 have joined up, according to a report broadcast on Israel’s Channel 10 television.

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“A unique benefits package has been created for police serving in the city (of Jerusalem) in order to attract new recruits and retain existing officers,” Israel Police said in a statement following the report.

It’s not only rookies who are avoiding the holy city: veterans are also turning down assignments in Jerusalem, Channel 10 reported.

Jerusalem has been the city hardest hit by terrorist attacks; accordingly, its police force is increasing its presence in areas such as Arab neighborhoods, the Old City and high-density tourism hot spots like Ben Yehuda Street, Jaffa Road and the Mahane Yehuda open air market.

The department is also offering unspecified “incentive packages” and higher wages to existing officers as another way to increase the number of recruits.

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Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.