Route 443
Route 443Flash 90

The Civil Administration for Judea and Samaria has rejected a request by the Palestinian Authority (PA) to establish a security base between the villages of Beit Ur al-Foka, Beit Ur al-Tahta and Bitunia.

Arutz Sheva reported last month about the PA’s request for the base, which it said was meant to serve the PA's "Preventive Security" arm, the equivalent of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet).

The area in question is on high ground, which controls Route 443 and would also make a good position for observing and firing at Modiin, which is located nearby, if hostilities were to flare up as they did during the Intifada, also known as the Oslo War, of 2000-2005.

Following Arutz Sheva’s report on the PA’s request, the Regavim NGO, which advocates for Jewish national property rights, launched a legal and public campaign against it, urging the Civil Administration not to approve the request.

In a post on its Facebook page on Tuesday evening, Regavim said that it had scored a victory, and that it had received a letter from the Civil Administration indicating that the request was denied and that the issue has been taken off the agenda.

Had the PA base been approved, it would have been established in Area C of Judea and Samaria, which is under Israeli security and civilian control.