A Jewish youth from Yitzhar was arrested on Friday for throwing a rock that injured two Arabs, and the IDF announced immediately afterwards that it will increase patrols to protect against similar incidents.
The security presence will be stepped-up, especially on weekends, not only along roads near Yitzhar, east of Shechem (Nablus), but also near the Gilad Farm in the Shomron (2 kilometers southeast of Kedumim), Adei Ad (near Shilo and Shvut Rachel), and Maon, south of Hevron.
Israel News Photo: Shomron.org
Shomron Regional Council Mayor Gershon Mesika feels the IDF decision is just another indication of the government's policy of making life difficult for Jews in Judea and Samaria. "Where was the IDF all these years whenever we complained of rock-throwings?" he asks.
The IDF's Selective Protection
Speaking with Israel National News on Tuesday, Mesika said, "It appears that the IDF provides selective protection. Now it thinks that the Arabs are in danger, so suddenly it begins beefing up its patrols. We have been complaining for years about the dangers to Jews - and incidents of rock-throwings and shootings against Jews are many, many times more numerous than the other way around - yet the army often fails to help us out."
Mesika said there appear to be "instructions from high-up" to make life difficult for the Jews: "Whenever there is a violent incident between Jews and Arabs, the first thing the army does when it arrives is to arrest the Jews. For instance, in the Gilad Farm a few days ago, Arabs threw rocks, the Jews called the police - and the next thing we knew, Jews were arrested."
Mesika said that he has written a letter to Police Commissioner Dudi Cohen, "saying that the police apparently have become confused as to their mission. The law says he has 35 days to respond..."
Hostile Government Again?
"We have apparently returned to the days of the British Mandate," Mesika said, "when the Jews had to contend with a hostile government. The government has placed great restrictions on our growth and construction, for instance, has restricted new connections to the electricity grid, frozen zoning plans, and has barely done anything to stop the Arabs from stealing metal and various infrastructure elements."
Migron
Asked how he thinks the current "lame duck" period of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will affect the Jewish towns in Judea and Samaria, Mesika said, "I think Olmert will try to hammer us as hard as he can. It's like his last-gasp death throes. I also think he will try to remove and destroy Migron [a Jewish neighborhood north of Jerusalem with 43 families], unless the police and army tell him that this is unfeasible."
Am Yisrael Chai!
"Despite all, however, Am Yisrael Chai - the Nation of Israel lives!" Mesika concluded. "We are continuing to grow and develop. For instance, did you know that this coming year we have an increase of 220 children in our nursery schools, for a total of almost 1,900? And our population growth is the largest in the country, from 23,000 to nearly 25,000. Like in Pharoah's time, the more they try to oppress us, the more we thrive."