Prime Minister Netanyahu has demanded that the IDF clarify its intentions regarding checkpoints and roads in Judea and Samaria for Ramadan, in accordance with the Cabinet decisions on the matter.
According to Yisrael Hayom, the demand was due to a claim by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in a letter sent to the Cabinet on Thursday. Smotrich wrote that the IDF intends to open checkpoints for Palestinian traffic as a goodwill gesture to the Palestinians in the hopes of securing calm over Ramadan, and that the plan was opposed to the Cabinet decision on the matter.
“During the last Cabinet meeting, the preparations of the Central Command for Ramadan were discussed, with two approaches presented. One was the old misconception, led by the senior officers of the IDF, in which the state of Israel must brace for impact over Ramadan each year, and attempts to prevent attacks by granting leniencies like opening checkpoints. This approach creates the absurd reality of more points of tension and opportunities for attack.”
“I presented the opposite view, which is intended to put an end to the month of Ramadan as the month to murder Jews. I claimed that Ramadan should bring more stringent measures, not leniencies. There must be more pressure for assassinations, stronger defensive measures, additional checkpoints, and road closures, all in an attempt to reduce opportunities to carry out attacks. During your summary of the meeting, you fully adopted my approach and ordered that the IDF urgently prepare a plan to add checkpoints and close roads to minimize the opportunities for carrying out attacks.”