The police are waging a catch-up war with anti-disengagement protestors, who last night tried once again, with some success, to block main intersections between Tel Aviv and Haifa. The police knew early on in the afternoon that something was afoot, but they didn't know where. They therefore stopped and turned back anyone who looked suspicious - including Pinchas Hayak and his 12 passsengers.
Hayak told Arutz-7 what happened while he was driving his van westwards towards the Tel Aviv area from the Shomron around 6 PM last night:
"Almost every day over the past two weeks, I drive – on a volunteer basis – a group of people from Beit El who are taking part in the Gush Katif mishlo'ach manotprogram. We go from door-to-door in Petach Tikvah, where many people barely know anything about Gush Katif or the disengagement plan, and deliverPurim food gifts, and engage in a short conversation about the 'issues of the day.'
"When we passed Ariel, we saw a large traffic jam before the Oranit Junction. Inching along, we arrived at a police checkpoint – one that is not usually there – and the policeman politely asked where we were headed. As soon as I told him that we were on a Gush Katif mishlo'ach manot mission, he ordered me to give him my license and to turn around. He said they had warnings that people were headed from the Shomron to block roads. All my arguing didn't help. I said that we had nothing to do with road blocking, and that people were waiting for us, and I offered to give him their phone numbers. The policeman even said at one point that he believes us but that he has orders not to let us proceed, and that's that."
Hayak said that when he finally turned around and received his license back, he saw two busloads of people that had similarly been stopped and ordered to return.
"There were two other carloads behind us," Hayak said, "who were also headed on the same mission – there were about 25 people from Beit El going to deliver Purim packages, more than usual – and I called them and told them what to say. They got through, though one of the cars was held up for about ten minutes..."
"The police simply made a blanket decision not to let anyone through who looked like they might block roads. I believe that they also wanted to stop the Mishlo'ach Manot program – because in case there's a referendum on the disengagement, they know that we are making a difference in people's opinions, and they want to stop that."
Hayak said that the checkpoint was manned by about six policemen. The anti-disengagement activists thus achieved a large part of their objective, by showing that they can tie up the police force – which is to be entrusted with carrying out the expulsion - even without blocking roads.
In the end, Hayak did not give up, and made it to Petach Tikvah via another road. Participants reported that they succeeded in explaining the importance of their struggle to many of the local residents.
Hayak told Arutz-7 what happened while he was driving his van westwards towards the Tel Aviv area from the Shomron around 6 PM last night:
"Almost every day over the past two weeks, I drive – on a volunteer basis – a group of people from Beit El who are taking part in the Gush Katif mishlo'ach manotprogram. We go from door-to-door in Petach Tikvah, where many people barely know anything about Gush Katif or the disengagement plan, and deliverPurim food gifts, and engage in a short conversation about the 'issues of the day.'
"When we passed Ariel, we saw a large traffic jam before the Oranit Junction. Inching along, we arrived at a police checkpoint – one that is not usually there – and the policeman politely asked where we were headed. As soon as I told him that we were on a Gush Katif mishlo'ach manot mission, he ordered me to give him my license and to turn around. He said they had warnings that people were headed from the Shomron to block roads. All my arguing didn't help. I said that we had nothing to do with road blocking, and that people were waiting for us, and I offered to give him their phone numbers. The policeman even said at one point that he believes us but that he has orders not to let us proceed, and that's that."
Hayak said that when he finally turned around and received his license back, he saw two busloads of people that had similarly been stopped and ordered to return.
"There were two other carloads behind us," Hayak said, "who were also headed on the same mission – there were about 25 people from Beit El going to deliver Purim packages, more than usual – and I called them and told them what to say. They got through, though one of the cars was held up for about ten minutes..."
"The police simply made a blanket decision not to let anyone through who looked like they might block roads. I believe that they also wanted to stop the Mishlo'ach Manot program – because in case there's a referendum on the disengagement, they know that we are making a difference in people's opinions, and they want to stop that."
Hayak said that the checkpoint was manned by about six policemen. The anti-disengagement activists thus achieved a large part of their objective, by showing that they can tie up the police force – which is to be entrusted with carrying out the expulsion - even without blocking roads.
In the end, Hayak did not give up, and made it to Petach Tikvah via another road. Participants reported that they succeeded in explaining the importance of their struggle to many of the local residents.