Questions have been raised regarding the government's plans to continue easing restrictions against the Arab population of Judea and Samaria, despite the ongoing murderous terrorist activity. Arutz-7's Emanuel Shilo asked Deputy Public Security Minister Gideon Ezra if he thinks that there could be a connection between the escalating terrorism and the government's easing of restrictions. Ezra's response:
"There is no connection. This is a population that has been working for 20 or 25 years in Israel, and they do not include those who carry out attacks, except for one exception that we all remember - the bus driver from Gaza who purposely rammed his bus into eight Israelis at a bus stop [just south of Tel Aviv], which [admittedly] is a red light for us until today. In addition, the Tul Karem industrial area where Shani Ladani was murdered last week must provide better security and screening of those who enter, as the murderer snuck in through a back road... I am in favor of continued easings for the population that has nothing to eat and does not want Arafat or terrorism..."
Rabbi Yitzchak Levy, a government minister of the National Religious Party, argued sharply with Foreign Minister Peres on precisely this topic in Sunday's Cabinet meeting. Levy told Arutz-7,
"Peres said that the easings must continue, and I said that these easings are being taken advantage of to murder Jews. I also said that a civilian population that yields or shields murderers must pay a price. It is inconceivable that the curfew on Tul Karem is removed, and then two hours later a Jew is lynched, and then the murderers go back to Tul Karem and nothing happens to them. It is inconceivable that four Jews are murdered on Friday afternoon before Shabbat on the road near Hevron, and the houses that help hide the murderers continue to stand."
Deputy Minister Ezra had a novel idea, saying that Israel must make the hard decision to prevent Israeli-Arabs from driving into Judea and Samaria:
"Cars with yellow [Israeli] license plates currently drive freely back and forth, and they can easily be carrying terrorists or bombs. The terrorist in Meiron on Sunday [who massacred nine] didn't walk there from Shechem; someone drove him. The Tisha B'Av terrorists in Tel Aviv [who murdered five] were driven by an Israeli-Arab who did not report them to the police even after he dropped them off. This must be stopped... The soldiers stand at the checkpoints and have to check every single car; this cannot go on."
Regarding expulsions, Gideon Ezra said,
"Family honor is an important thing for the Arabs, and therefore mothers and sisters must be expelled to Gaza - because potential suicide terrorists will assumedly not want to do something that will cause their mothers and sisters to be wandering around in some refugee camp in Gaza. But brothers and fathers should be jailed, not allowed free in Gaza." A court hearing on the appeal by terrorist relatives slated for expulsion was pushed off for two days and will be heard on Thursday.
"There is no connection. This is a population that has been working for 20 or 25 years in Israel, and they do not include those who carry out attacks, except for one exception that we all remember - the bus driver from Gaza who purposely rammed his bus into eight Israelis at a bus stop [just south of Tel Aviv], which [admittedly] is a red light for us until today. In addition, the Tul Karem industrial area where Shani Ladani was murdered last week must provide better security and screening of those who enter, as the murderer snuck in through a back road... I am in favor of continued easings for the population that has nothing to eat and does not want Arafat or terrorism..."
Rabbi Yitzchak Levy, a government minister of the National Religious Party, argued sharply with Foreign Minister Peres on precisely this topic in Sunday's Cabinet meeting. Levy told Arutz-7,
"Peres said that the easings must continue, and I said that these easings are being taken advantage of to murder Jews. I also said that a civilian population that yields or shields murderers must pay a price. It is inconceivable that the curfew on Tul Karem is removed, and then two hours later a Jew is lynched, and then the murderers go back to Tul Karem and nothing happens to them. It is inconceivable that four Jews are murdered on Friday afternoon before Shabbat on the road near Hevron, and the houses that help hide the murderers continue to stand."
Deputy Minister Ezra had a novel idea, saying that Israel must make the hard decision to prevent Israeli-Arabs from driving into Judea and Samaria:
"Cars with yellow [Israeli] license plates currently drive freely back and forth, and they can easily be carrying terrorists or bombs. The terrorist in Meiron on Sunday [who massacred nine] didn't walk there from Shechem; someone drove him. The Tisha B'Av terrorists in Tel Aviv [who murdered five] were driven by an Israeli-Arab who did not report them to the police even after he dropped them off. This must be stopped... The soldiers stand at the checkpoints and have to check every single car; this cannot go on."
Regarding expulsions, Gideon Ezra said,
"Family honor is an important thing for the Arabs, and therefore mothers and sisters must be expelled to Gaza - because potential suicide terrorists will assumedly not want to do something that will cause their mothers and sisters to be wandering around in some refugee camp in Gaza. But brothers and fathers should be jailed, not allowed free in Gaza." A court hearing on the appeal by terrorist relatives slated for expulsion was pushed off for two days and will be heard on Thursday.