Tensions between the IDF and the residents of Judea and Samaria have taken a turn for the worse, with the firing of one town's security officer for having fired at Arab infiltrators.
The Commander of the IDF Binyamin Brigade, Brig.-Gen. Saar Tzur, has given orders to fire the security officer of the town of Talmon, in the Binyamin region. This, because of an incident that occurred a month ago in which the security officer fired at a group of Arabs who approached the town's perimeter fence carrying a saw.
The officer saw the approach as a threat and fired at the ground near the would-be infiltrators' legs - instead of, as standard procedure dictates, in the air. One of the Arabs was lightly injured by a pebble that was hit by the bullet fire. The officer immediately called a medical team, which arrived and saw that no treatment was needed.
It turned out that the Arabs had arrived to harvest olives, but their arrival was not coordinated with the town.
Tzur decided to strip the officer of his responsibilities "for professional reasons." It had been rumored that the officer was involved in blocking Civil Administration officials overseeing the construction freeze from entering the town. Talmon spokesman David Haggai told Israel National News that the allegation is totally untrue.
Talmon, located north of Jerusalem and east of Tel Aviv, issued a statement of complete support for the officer:
"Talmon objects to the Brigade Commander's decision to fire the officer after he fired with the purpose of deterring Arabs who refused to answer his calls and to stop approaching the town fence. Talmon gives blanket support to the officer for doing his job. The town leadership senses that the firing was motivated by other considerations that are unclear and which it is trying to ascertain amidst the relevant bodies."
Residents of Talmon, and of Judea and Samaria in general, have expressed anger and frustration at the decision, which they say weakens the ability and motivation of the authorized elements to protect the Jews of the area.
Talmon was established in 1989, and now has nearly 250 families. It was one of eight new towns established, with the approval of then-Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir, as a direct response to a diplomatic plan being discussed with then-PLO head and terrorist leader Yasser Arafat.
Established at Truck-Point
Yesha affairs expert Haggai Huberman relates that when Talmon was established, the truck bringing the first caravans [mobile homes without wheels] to the site became mired in the mud along the way and could not move. It was then decided to build Talmon right there at the site of the stuck truck, and not in the original site. Two years later, the town of Neriah was built where Talmon had originally been planned. Neriah is currently populated by 200 families.