‘Utter lawlessness’: Israeli highway closed to Jews for funeral of PA minister who supports terror

The Samaria Regional Council chairman demands to know who gave the order.

By World Israel News Staff

For the first time, an Israeli road is closed to Jews following the sudden death of Palestinian Authority (PA) Prisoners’ Affairs Minister Qadri Abu Bakr.

Abu Bakr. 70, was killed in a traffic collision in Samaria on Saturday.

Israeli residents of Samaria were reportedly shocked by the decision to close Highway 5 to make way for the procession of the Palestinian minister, who had served 17 years in prison for terrorism.

Highway 5 is one of Israel’s main highways, connecting the Mediterranean coast immediately north of Tel Aviv with the central Sharon plain and eastwards to the city of Ariel  and other Israeli communities in Samaria.

Jewish residents were also concerned about the danger posed by the highway’s closing, noting that the funeral, with thousands of participants, was held in Area C of Judea and Samaria, near the Israeli communities, Arutz-7 reported.

“This is Oslo on steroids! This is a disgrace and utter lawlessness,” Samaria Regional Council chairman Yossi Dagan declared.

“I demand to know who gave the order, who endangered the safety of the residents on a main road, and who made the decision to harm the sovereignty of the State of Israel in central Samaria,” he said.

“I also don’t understand why someone like Abu Bakr is receiving such treatment. This is a man who was a terrorist who spent 17 years in prison, was exiled to Iraq, was returned in the Oslo Accords, and also in his last position he was the Acting Minister for Terrorist Affairs and Murderers who took care of their salaries and incited terrorism.”

Indeed, in 2020, for example, he posted a statement on social media confirming that the pay-for-slay policy of finanacial reward for terrorism was “non-negotiable.”

The salaries of the prisoners’ families are non-negotiable and the Palestinian leadership’s position is firm and will not change, regardless of the circumstances and pressures,” watchdog group Palestinian Media Watch reported Abu Bakr as saying – after he told the New York Times otherwise.