Residents of Samaria communities between Kfar Saba and Kedumim are up in arms over a new barrier which is being built as part of the privatization of the major checkpoint on the main highway and which has created massive traffic jams.The checkpoint east of Kfar Saba enables soldiers to inspect and identify cars and drivers traveling from the communities in Samaria towards the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, similar to procedures at other checkpoints where the main concern is terrorists arriving from villages in Judea and Samaria.
Motorists discovered last week that the new barrier was being erected to check cars returning from the urban area, although most crossings virtually ignore returning traffic. After residents complained to the army, they were told that the commanding officer for the area knew nothing about it. They discovered that the barrier was being built by a private company and apparently without the knowledge of the IDF as part of a program to privatize checkpoints.
Residents of the Karnei Shomron and Kedumim communities have asked to meet with the area commanding officer on Sunday evening in an effort to solve the problem of ensuing delays in traffic.