Jordan Valley Regional Council Chairman David Alhiani demands that someone take personal responsibility for the removal of IDF checkpoints in his jurisdiction. According to Alhiani, free movement between the Palestinian Authority and majority-Jewish areas seriously endangers residents of the valley, most of whom work in agriculture. 
The IDF was acting on orders it receives from the civilian authorities.
Speaking with Arutz Sheva Radio on Thursday, Alhiani explained, "It undermines security. You see, free movement out of Jericho throughout the entire valley and to the northern end of the Dead Sea constitutes a security risk."
His comments came in response to the removal of an IDF checkpoint south of Jericho on Wednesday. The IDF Spokesman's Office said that this facilitated the free passage of vehicles and pedestrians between the Palestinian Authority-controlled city and the rest of the Jordan Valley. The decision to eliminate the Vered Jericho checkpoint was "a Civil Administration proposal as a part of the goodwill measures authorized by the Minister of Defense," the IDF statement explained. It was, however, carried out according to security assessments by the IDF Central Command.
"Such actions are meant to further ease the daily life of the Palestinian population in Judea and Samaria," the IDF said, "while continuously fighting terror and maintaining the safety of the citizens of the State of Israel."
"I only hope that whoever authorized the opening of those checkpoints will also take upon himself the responsibility, when the day comes that something happens," Alhiani said. "He should take personal responsibility. I would expect any person to take personal responsibility, because we are talking about life and death in this case. They are abandoning our security here."
When asked if he knew who was personally in charge of the decision to remove the Jordan Valley checkpoint, Alhiani said he only knew that the IDF was acting on orders it receives from the civilian authorities. He emphasized that the army has certain statistical measures of security risk, which he is sure it takes into account.
Alhiani pointed out that the farmers and residents of the Jordan Valley are busy with the harvest, export prices, foreign currency exchange rates and the like. "However," he added, "all that is true only until, God forbid, something happens. And when it does, at the moment of truth, who will take responsibility?"
In the future, Alhiani suggested, civilian officials should consult with Jordan Valley residents directly before making such security decisions. In the case of the latest checkpoint removal, he complained, "no one informed us.... they should have at least warned us so that we could make the proper arrangements. We have security teams and regional security committees, we could have at least brainstormed with the army about what to do and how to deploy after the opening of the checkpoints."
The removal of the Vered Jericho crossing is in addition to over 140 roadblocks and checkpoints that were opened in the past year. Earlier this month, the IDF removed two security checkpoints near Kalkilya in western Samaria.
Terrorism, Counterterrorism Continue
Even as the IDF eases conditions on the roads for PA residents, an Israeli motorist came under attack by PA terrorists on Thursday. A Molotov cocktail was thrown at a vehicle near the Jewish community of Tzufim, between the Samarian Arab community of Nabi Elias and the Jewish community of Karnei Shomron.
No injuries or damage were reported. Israeli troops searched the area, but the attackers were not apprehended.
Overnight on Wednesday IDF forces were more successful, as 15 terror suspects throughout Judea and Samaria were captured in counterterrorism operations. Weaponry held by at least one of the suspects was confiscated, and he and his cohorts were transferred to General Security Services (Shin Bet) custody for further interrogation.