Rock-throwings in Judea, especially between Hevron and Gush Etzion, are on the rise. In the past two weeks, Kol Rina News Agency reports, the phenomenon has increased dramatically, and has begun once again to cause significant damage. Ambulances, buses, and cars have been targeted. Residents say that the army does not arrive on the scene unless someone is injured, as was the case this afternoon when a baby was lightly hurt near Kiryat Arba. Yesterday as well, an Israeli driver was hurt in an attack near Beit Umar, south of Gush Etzion.



Gush Etzion Regional Council head Sha'ul Goldstein said today:

"This is how the current war started - first with rocks, and then it went to shots and grenades. We therefore decided that we would not be silent. We met last night with local IDF officers, and received a promise that they plan to deal forcefully with this matter."



Goldstein said that the increased rock-throwing could be explained in three ways:

"A desire to identify with Iraq; the sense that they may be able to take advantage of the Road Map publication and gain more ground; and the fact that the IDF did such a good job in uprooting the terrorism that they are left with little more than to throw rocks."



It's not only rocks; two Arabs were caught in the act of hurling firebombs at Israeli cars on the Modiin highway yesterday, and were brought today before a military judge for extension of their remand.