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A Road for Arabs only' - reported in Sept 2023.
Amichai Shilo, A road for Arabs only, Hakol H., 09/13/2023.
Since the inauguration of a bypass road Al-Arroub, the residents of the area are struggling to keep the old road open to Jews as well
Since then, a bypass road Al-Arroub [العروب] was inaugurated about two months ago, sparking a struggle for residents to maintain access to the old road. Since the road passes through the village and since there is now a new road designed to replace it, Route 60 in this section was abandoned to the Arabs. Residents of the area complain about many stone throws and a clear message from the army that they have nothing to look for on the old road.
"This road leads to a Palestinian settlement. Entry for Israelis is dangerous," announces a red sign placed on the old road. And indeed the IDF forces that until recently were deployed along the axis are beginning to withdraw from their positions.
"The IDF is currently on the old road, but the trend is to move the positions from there," says Aviad, a resident of Carmei Tzur, in a conversation with us. "There is no reason to have one road open only to Arabs and a new road where Arabs and Jews travel together." A protest group that was opened and includes members from hundreds of residents of the area is trying to keep the road open to Jews as well, either by demonstrations or by daily driving on the road. "I go to work every day and come back via the old road." another resident of the area tells us. "This is how we make sure that the road remains open and the road remains safe." Beyond the problem of the abandonment of a part of Eretz Israel to the Arabs and the security abandonment of the area, there is great doubt whether the new road solves the traffic problems in the area. "The new road is great, but every accident is small and it can be blocked for many hours" Aviad tells us. "There's no reason why I can't turn on the Wayze in the morning and based on the routes decide which way to travel." "There was an accident on the road towards Kiryat Arba," describes another resident, "the whole road is at a standstill. There is no traffic for several hours."
Prevented from Jews and not from Arabs
About a week ago, after the IDF soldiers eliminated a terrorist who had thrown a rocket launcher in the village, the Etzion Brigade, Col. Itai Matek, issued a closed military area order on the old axis. In order to enforce the order, the Brigadier General stationed soldiers at the beginning of the road and prevented Jews from passing, but the road remained open to Arabs despite the order. According to the residents, the IDF force that was there checked vehicles with yellow license plates and did not allow Jews to pass, while Palestinian vehicles passed without General inspection. The order was for twelve hours on the day of the terrorist's funeral. "It is serious, and it is forbidden under any circumstances to close the road to Jews," Eliyahu Liebman, head of the Kiryat Arba council, tells us. "Even on a point-by-point basis, in any situation, you have to make sure that this axis is open"
Bypass roads, security or lawlessness?
The issue of bypass roads has been open for many years in the settlement. Some see them as a blessing because of the security they bring and the speed of travel that usually increases thanks to them, and some lament the loss of land that involves switching to another road. In the case of a bypass road Al-Arroub on the other hand, there is almost no dispute that the old road should be left open. This is because the new road is small and does not already meet the needs of the residents of the area, and also because it is very close to the village and already serves as a target for Arabs who throw stones.
Another resident with whom we spoke tells us about the difficult feelings with which he left the conversation with the general. "The first time stones were thrown at me was on this road," he says. After stones were thrown at him on the road, he spoke to the general in an attempt to convince him to increase the army's presence in the area, but left with hard feelings. "At the end of the conversation I felt as if it was my fault that stones were thrown at me," he describes. "I'm really afraid that the police will suddenly tell me that I'm not entitled to compensation for the damage at all because I drove in a place where it's not allowed to drive."