Lt.-Col. (res.) Itzik Shadmi, head of the Binyamin Residents’ Council, called the Israeli government on Thursday to immediately bring back the blockades and checkpoints to Judea and Samaria.
“Unfortunately, today the Israeli government and the IDF support a policy of relying on the PA to stop terrorism,” Shadmi told Arutz Sheva. “The IDF is working closely with the PA and gives it responsibilities. This is a new policy which is dangerous and stupid and needs to change.”
The PA and the United States used the drop in terrorist attacks against Israel in recent years as a tool to force the Defense Ministry to remove blockades and eliminate most checkpoints.
In the past few weeks, however, there has been a surge in terror attacks in Judea and Samaria. On Wednesday evening, a military vehicle was that was on patrol south of Bethlehem hit a roadside bomb near Khirbet Eliya.
The bomb exploded, causing damage to the vehicle. There were no physical injuries.
On Tuesday, a vehicle that was driving northward on Route 60 near Maavar Mikhmas was blocked by an Arab-owned commercial vehicle. At the same time, a young Arab armed with a club emerged from the nearby village, jumped over the security barrier and headed toward the vehicle. The driver managed to bypass the vehicle that was blocking the road, crossed the intersection and drove off.
On Monday, Arabs threw a rock from a passing vehicle at an Egged bus travelling from Beit El to Jerusalem. No one was hurt but the bus was damaged.
On Sunday, a Border Police force arrested an Arab terrorist at a roadblock near the Cave of Machpela in Hevron. He was carrying a knife and a homemade explosive cap. He admitted that he was planning to stab Jews.
Last week, a Palestinian Authority woman tried to stab Jews at the Gush Etzion junction, south of Jerusalem, but soldiers guarding the intersection prevented the attack and arrested her.
The female terrorist, who had shouted "Allahu Akbar" and “Death to Jews,” threw her knife down and dropped to the ground after she saw one soldier raise his weapon at her.
The terror attacks have also hit Jerusalem. Last Saturday, terrorists stabbed and seriously wounded a teenager in the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem. A massive manhunt failed to yield the terrorist.
Shadmi said that he is sure that bringing back the security checkpoints would stop the terrorism.
“Dozens of checkpoints in Judea and Samaria were removed and today there are almost no checkpoints,” he said. “If they put the blockades back up, the Arabs will understand that they need to stop the terror. The blockades disrupt their lives and they know that.”