The residents of the area are greatly concerned with the growing attacks from the last days.
By Sveta Listratov, TPS
As terror attacks in the Hebron and Gush Etzyon areas escalated over the weekend, residents demanded security forces close off access roads leading towards Palestinian villages.
“The region was relatively quiet for months, because ever since the war started the access to the roads from the villages was closed. But as soon as they let them move freely, the attacks start. Just this morning, another attack happened because the roads were opened,” Meir Dana-Picard, Chairman of the Board of Residents in Mount Hebron told The Press Service of Israel.
He was referring to Sunday morning’s drive-by shooting near the Palestinian village of Tarqumiyah in the Hebron region in which three police officers were killed.
The terrorist came from the area of the village of Idna, whose access road was reopened that very morning. The attack took place approximately half an hour after the renewal of traffic.
“When the roads were closed, there were almost no attacks. But now, with the reduced enforcement and some roads opening up even for a few hours a day, and some for the whole day, it’s just a matter of time before we see more attacks,” Dana-Picard insisted to TPS-IL.
The residents of the area are greatly concerned with the growing attacks from the last days.
Rina Ariel, a resident of Kiryat Arba who lost her 13-year-old daughter to a terrorist attack at their home eight years ago, is finding it difficult to come to terms with the recent events.
“Today we woke up to a crazy reality—car bombs in Gush Etzyon, then the murder of three Jews not far from us, followed by a stone-throwing attack. What’s going on? Can we not travel on the roads? But the Arabs are free to drive?” she told TPS-IL.
On Friday night, coordinated car-bombs blew up in Karmei Tzur and the Gush Etzyon Junction. The terrorists were killed.
Three soldiers were moderately to lightly injured.
Ariel called on the authorities to take responsibility over the routes in a video clip she recorded and was circulating on social media.
“We, the Hebron residents, are no different from residents of the Gaza border or Tel Aviv. Block the routes to Arab villages. Don’t let them travel the roads. We don’t want more of our daughters murdered or more of our people killed,” she insisted.
Local officials echoed her concerns.
“Unfortunately, this morning we are experiencing another severe attack near Tarqumiyah , adding to the car bombs on Saturday and the explosive device set off last week in eastern Gush Etzyon,” Yaron Rozenthal, Gush Etzyon Regional Council head said in a statement.
“We must act swiftly and launch a cleansing operation to eliminate the terror cells in the Hebron area and its surroundings. Terrorism must not be allowed to rear its head.”
Experts explained to TPS-IL that the surge in terror is part of a broader Hamas strategy to intensify terror attacks in Judea and Samaria and distract Israeli forces from Gaza.
New terror groups, inspired by Hamas ideology, are emerging in these areas, with Telegram channels full of threats against Israel.
One widespread message that went through the groups recently called on behalf of Hamas for “All those who carry weapons to direct bullets at the chests of the occupiers who continue to commit massacres in the steadfast Gaza Strip”.
Last week, in response to escalating threats, Israeli forces on Wednesday launched the largest counterterror operation in months to dismantle terror infrastructure in northern Samaria and the Jordan Valley.
“It is clear that there is no difference between what is happening in Gaza and what is happening in Hebron, the ideology and motivation are the same. The differences lie only in the tactics and practice, but the intent of the attackers remains unchanged: to harm Jews as much as possible,” Dana-Picard explained.
The Hebron area residents are planning to demonstrate at the problematic roads in demand to close them back, similar to what the Ariel residents in Samaria did to get the army to close off a similar access road to Salfit in early August.
“There’s no reason to wait for another attack, and then another, and another. We need a significant operation in Hebron now—a drastic, comprehensive action like what we’ve done in Jenin or Gaza. It’s time to put a stop to this,” said Dana-Picard.