Residents of the Shomron communities of Peduel and Alei Zahav protested outside of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon\'s Jerusalem residence today. Bearing placards asking, \"Where is Sharon\'s Security?\" the citizens objected to the deterioration of the security situation on the roads. Today\'s event marks the first rally of Yesha residents since the Sharon government was established last month.
Today\'s protest came in the wake of an Arab terrorist shooting attack on Peduel resident Ami Mofshovitz while he was driving on a local highway last night. Mofshovitz parked his bullet-ridden vehicle in front of the Prime Minister\'s residence today. \"About 15 bullets hit my car,\" he told Arutz-7 today. \"The shots were coming from three or four different directions, but thank God, I managed to escape. It was a real miracle,\" he said. Mofshovitz added that when the shooting started - ten to fifteen meters from his vehicle \"I just stepped on the gas and sped towards the entrance to our community. I didn\'t have much time to think, I wanted to get home safely... What happened to me last night prompted me to think of the words of Psalm 124: \'Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.\' \"
According to Mofshovitz, last\'s night\'s incident was not the first time that Arab terrorists have shot at Jewish vehicles on the road from Ariel to Peduel, \"but the situation is getting more and more serious. I came with my car to Jerusalem today, and asked to see the Prime Minister. They told me to wait, so that\'s what I\'m doing...I just hope he begins to open his eyes.\"
News Editor Haggai Segal responded: \"Sharon is new in his position. Maybe in the end, he will take the action that you\'re hoping for.\"
Mofshovitz: \"Sharon comes to this job with a rich security background; he knows what to do. Right now, there is not even a modicum of security on the roads! ...The Arabs are simply not afraid; they know that they are dealing with an army that has its hands tied.\"
In response to the attack, the IDF today established a new outpost near Alei Zahav Junction, the scene of the shooting.
Speaking with Arutz-7 later, Likud MK Yuval Shteinitz concurred. \"There\'s no question that from a diplomatic standpoint, Sharon has made major strides: He removed the Camp David and the Clinton proposals from the negotiating table, and has even earned US support for this decision. But in terms of security, he seems to be following the example of Barak, by just \'responding\' and \'taking revenge\' for terrorist attacks. Arafat and his men are not pleased with the IDF\'s revenge strikes, but policy is more tame than it could be, such that Arafat and company are able tolerate the response. Put simply, our deterrent capacity is being harmed as each day goes by, and the Palestinians continue to shoot at citizens on both sides of the \'Green Line.\' After months of Palestinian warfare, PA military forces have not been crushed, and this has delivered a severe blow to our deterrent capabilities. With Barak, we kept attributing his weak response to his diplomatic plans - returning to the negotiating table with the PA - but no such excuse can be offered Sharon.\"
Today\'s protest came in the wake of an Arab terrorist shooting attack on Peduel resident Ami Mofshovitz while he was driving on a local highway last night. Mofshovitz parked his bullet-ridden vehicle in front of the Prime Minister\'s residence today. \"About 15 bullets hit my car,\" he told Arutz-7 today. \"The shots were coming from three or four different directions, but thank God, I managed to escape. It was a real miracle,\" he said. Mofshovitz added that when the shooting started - ten to fifteen meters from his vehicle \"I just stepped on the gas and sped towards the entrance to our community. I didn\'t have much time to think, I wanted to get home safely... What happened to me last night prompted me to think of the words of Psalm 124: \'Our soul has escaped like a bird out of the snare of the fowlers. The snare is broken, and we escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made Heaven and Earth.\' \"
According to Mofshovitz, last\'s night\'s incident was not the first time that Arab terrorists have shot at Jewish vehicles on the road from Ariel to Peduel, \"but the situation is getting more and more serious. I came with my car to Jerusalem today, and asked to see the Prime Minister. They told me to wait, so that\'s what I\'m doing...I just hope he begins to open his eyes.\"
News Editor Haggai Segal responded: \"Sharon is new in his position. Maybe in the end, he will take the action that you\'re hoping for.\"
Mofshovitz: \"Sharon comes to this job with a rich security background; he knows what to do. Right now, there is not even a modicum of security on the roads! ...The Arabs are simply not afraid; they know that they are dealing with an army that has its hands tied.\"
In response to the attack, the IDF today established a new outpost near Alei Zahav Junction, the scene of the shooting.
Speaking with Arutz-7 later, Likud MK Yuval Shteinitz concurred. \"There\'s no question that from a diplomatic standpoint, Sharon has made major strides: He removed the Camp David and the Clinton proposals from the negotiating table, and has even earned US support for this decision. But in terms of security, he seems to be following the example of Barak, by just \'responding\' and \'taking revenge\' for terrorist attacks. Arafat and his men are not pleased with the IDF\'s revenge strikes, but policy is more tame than it could be, such that Arafat and company are able tolerate the response. Put simply, our deterrent capacity is being harmed as each day goes by, and the Palestinians continue to shoot at citizens on both sides of the \'Green Line.\' After months of Palestinian warfare, PA military forces have not been crushed, and this has delivered a severe blow to our deterrent capabilities. With Barak, we kept attributing his weak response to his diplomatic plans - returning to the negotiating table with the PA - but no such excuse can be offered Sharon.\"