IDF officer: Israel recently removed road block from site of fatal attack
Right wingers decry Israeli gestures toward the Palestinians, blaming government for fatal shooting attack.
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Israel news Israel settlersLast week, Israel removed a West Bank road block on the very road where 40-year-old Meir Hai was killed in a shooting attack Thursday afternoon, so said an Israel Defense Forces officer who preferred to remain nameless.
The roadblock, known as the barrels road block, the officer said, monitored the traffic around Nablus in the direction of Tul Karm. The perpetrators of Thursday's attack, apparently fled through the point where this roadblock used to be, the officer explained.
Hai, a father of seven, was killed in his car when he was fired upon from a passing vehicle between the West Bank settlement of Shavei Shomron, where he lived, and the nearby settlement of Einav. A little-known affiliate of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade, calling itself the Imad Mughniyeh Group, claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack sparked harsh responses among right wingers. The Yesha settlers' council issued a statement saying that "the murderous shooting attack in Samaria is a direct result of the policy of lifting restrictions on the Palestinians, removal of necessary road blocks in Judea and Samaria and the transfer of the responsibility for security to those whose ranks produced many terrorists who murdered Jews. As in the case of similar incidents in the past, once again the gestures aimed at [Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas] Abu Mazen carry a price tag of Jewish blood."
MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union) said in response to the attack that "the path of capitulation, the opening of arteries, the [settlement] freeze and the release of [Palestinian] prisoners that [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu has brought down upon us signals to terrorists that Jewish blood is negligible. The terrorist probably thinks that he will be released in the next exchange."
"The Arabs interpret the Israeli government's decisions as a green light to harm settlers," he added.
Another settler committee issued a statement saying that "the murder is a completely predictable outcome of the government's behavior. Anyone who plans to wage war against his Jewish brothers, essentially helps Arab terrorists."
"This is how thing look when the government's and the army's top priority is the release of murderers and persecute Jewish settlers," the statement went on to say.
The head of the Samaria regional council, Gershon Mesika, said that "after a long period of calm, the central roadblock between Samaria communities and Tul Karm was recently removed. This, despite our warnings. The government of Israel put the 'Palestinian fabric of life' above the lives of its citizens."
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Your outlandish response to Esther paints you as rude, arrogant and crude. Esther presented a reasonable point of view and most of the community of nations agree with her. That's why Israel is in violation of UN resolutions and the 4th Geneva Convention because of its occupation of Palestinian territory, the building of settlements in that territory and the annexation of Jerusalem. Violation of articles of the 4th Geneva Convention are considered a war crime. But your reaction is a typical Jewish one to something they don't want to hear or read. First, NEVER, NEVER address the substance of the offending comments. But attack the reporter, even if he or she is quoting from a valid document. Call the reporter a liar or an anti-semite, or both. In this case you chose to call Esther a "PIG." And you wonder why so many nations are turning against Israel, with boycotts, divestment and campaigns for sanctions. Its Jews like you who earn that enmity of the international community.
After winning several wars in 60 years; occupying other people's land; building walls which separate Pals from their schools and property; setting up roadblocks which humiliate; continued stealing of land, Israel has not achieved security. Wouldn't it make sense to try legitimate conduct, like leaving occupied territory as the UN resolutions demand? How would you supremacists feel if some country stole your land and imprisoned your people within bantustans? Something tells me Israel will never gain security until they give Palestinians their rights. Of course a one-state solution would do wonders for demographics and your Jewish character.
Currently Israel is in violation of UN resolutions for occupying Palestinian territory. Israel is violation of UN resolutions and the 4th Geneva Convention for building on the occupied territory and annexing Jerusalem. Grave breaches of articles of the 4th Geneva Convention are considered war crimes. If Israel removes the settlements abandons E, Jerusalem, and builds the security on Israeli land, everything will become dramatically better. Better than they have been since 1967. If Israel annexes the West Bank, Israel will experience the wrath of the world as it has never seen. It will see the withdrawal of all US support and Israel's complete isolation from the international community. With the sanctions, divestments and boycotts that will follow, Israel may not survive as we know it today. I assume a lot of Palestinians wish Israel would try such an annexation, because they would love the consequences.
im just wondering for all you talkbackers who find it offensive thinking about a 2state solution or who encourage annexing the rest of palestine to israel, what do you do with all the arabs living there ? give them citizenship ? with full rights ? the demographic shift would lay the way for an arab PM and president (muslim btw) and an arab government killing all your hopes for a country with jewish nature or for the extremists in israel a theocratic jewish govnt. I guess you could just kill them all if you want, like create deathcamps and another "final solution" but this time will be "to the palestinian problem" instead of "the jewish problem". Again im just curious cos you all seem so sure with your responses...
Alu, Fine, then there won't be any peace, Have it your way, no peace. The villages (not settlements) are going nowhere. No peace, no Pal terror state.
There won't be any peace as long as there are settlements in West Bank.
If you think that by writing such digusting comment you will be spared by next shooting, you're wrong.
this is a drop in the bucket compared to the terror the settlers have inflicted on the Palestinians...get those people out of there, get back on your side of the line and keep it that way for a while..
... settlers arouse deep despair in the West Bank Pals, witnessing every day the takeover of their lands, property and natural resources...
Israel doesn't get it. So long as there is one Israeli soldier and one Israeli settler planted on historic Palestinian land in the West Bank, there will always be danger of retribution.
it will only get worse
The Palestinians kept whining that the roadblocks are bad. The Israelis kept saying the roadblocks prevent terror. The Israelis took down the roadblocks. Terror and war crimes were the result. We Israelis can do the math.
like the Wall which caused a decrease in attacks inside israel! DONT LISTEN OTHERs isr continiue the good job to protect citizens ,