The IDF will place large concrete blocks on sidewalks and roads throughout Judea and Samaria, it announced Wednesday night, following an analysis of the current terror wave.
The blocks will function much in the same way as 'mile markers' along major US highways: to provide additional information about a motorist's - or potential terror victim's - location.
"The Engineering Division of the Judea and Samaria Division has been working on the 'mile marker' project for several months," Major Michael Biton, officer of the Engineering Division for the Binyamin Regional Brigade, stated Wednesday night.
"The project is aimed at shortening the response time to incidents unfolding in the area by creating a 'common language' between civilians and IDF forces," Biton continued. "During a rock-throwing, shooting attack, or explosion, every resident will be able to most accurately report where the accident happened, thanks to these concrete markers."
The blocks will be painted yellow, Biton added, and including numbering and lettering marking the location and region in black paint. For example, a mile marker in the Shomron will include the Hebrew letter 'shin' (ש), and a number corresponding to location within that region. Several markers are already up on Routes 60 and 90.
"Citizens will be able to call the hotline and note the letters and numbers, and we will know where they are [...] allowing us to arrive at the scene and treat wounded as quickly as possible," Biton concluded.
"There is a crucial response time for the IDF to arrive at the scene of an attack and assist victims," he said. "We believe this will shorten the timeline for terrorists."
He added, as well, that it is often difficult for the IDF to know exactly where attacks take place - due, perhaps, in part to Israel's lack of road signage.
"Such concrete blocks on the ground may reduce the space in which we search for the terrorists; it's a very large area," he reflected."It is important for us not to waste time to figure out where the event occurred, so we can get there within the right time frame."