Palestinians can use route 443, but Israel will seize Palestinian land to 'secure' it
Route 443, connecting Modi'in to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, supposed to open to Palestinians in 10 weeks.
By Chaim Levinson Tags: Jerusalem Israel news Palestinians Tel AvivThe Israel Defense Forces intends to seize 50 dunams from the Palestinian village Bitunia "to prevent terror attacks" on Route 443, which will open to Palestinian traffic in 10 weeks.
"Given the need for steps to prevent a terror attack, 49.2 dunams of land from the village Bitunia are being expropriated for security needs, to build the Ofer crossing," states an order signed by GOC Central Command Avi Mizrahi.
As Haaretz reported two months ago, the army plans to build a large roadblock at the Ofer junction, near a goods border crossing.
Route 443, the main highway connecting Modi'in to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, is supposed to open to Palestinian traffic in two and a half months, in keeping with a High Court of Justice ruling from December 2009, in response to a petition by the human rights group B'Tselem.
The court revoked the ban keeping Palestinians from driving or walking along Route 443, which has been in place since 2000. The court gave the IDF five months to implement the security arrangements, since the defense establishment argued that allowing Palestinians to use the road was a security risk.
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This story is by: Chaim Levinson
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1) could someone post a link to a map for the ofer crossing - OK. here but it is in hebrew - but you can see the green line. the black line is the forbidden part for palestinians http://www.btselem.org/Download/Road_443_Map_Heb.pdf 2)explain in more depth the need for this additional land - the land is all in WB, it is not even close to the green line, see in the map. Israel is not taking land for itself, if and when there will be a peace agreement, all this will stay in palestinian hands. Ofer is not a settlement but a prison and a militar base inside the WB Here is 2 links to the wiki in english with some info about the road.Very resumed but you can have an idea http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofer_Prison http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Route_443_%28Israel%29 Now, the road was closed to pals since 2000 because the second intifada. Before that it was free for all. Take a look on this video also: http://www.btselem.org/english/video/200803_Road_443.asp I hope it helps
Why 'expropriate' when you can swap the land - give the villagers the same amount of land somewhere else...
The government pisses off the settlers, they take it out on the Palestinians. the Supreme Court pisses off the IDF, they take it out on the Palestinians. Parent spanks the child, child kicks the dog!
The PA can use eminent domain and build their own roadblock and stop and search all traffic that the IDF doesn't. They should do this and seize all weapons entering the West Bank on the road.
1) could someone post a link to a map for the ofer crossing 2)explain in more depth the need for this additional land - if it was a "jews only' road before and there was no need for this security measure, why now that Palestinians will be travelling on the road. 3) please, please, please respond with facts, not opinions (links to sources greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
That is to be decided if and when Abbas can make a deal on borders. I think he can't, since he is merely a mouthpiece for a committee that has other plans for Israel. In the meantime, the headline might sell a few more papers.
There is a settlement along that road. What not use land already taken? Would it kill the settlers to make sacrifices for their security?
So this is what it comes down to. If Palestinians are to use the Jew-only road, then Palestinians will lose their land in retaliation. Is there any more evocative example of why Israel has become everything it once existed to oppose?
... but if land has to be expropriated for "security reasons" related to a crossing leading into Ofer then why isn't it being expropriated from land belonging to Ofer? After all, placing the "crossing" (which is clearly intended to be a "border crossing" in ALL but name) next to Ofer places it inside Israel. Which is exactly where an "Israeli-manned border crossing" should be.