From Israel Today written by Efrat Forsher: 27.06.2017 00:25 translated by Leon Gork
Under the Israeli nose: The Palestinians have paved a new route, crossing an IDF firing zone, connecting to the smuggling route and exploiting the breach in the fence • On the part of the route there is even concrete. • Meaning: easier life for illegal aliens and smugglers of weapons, drugs and women. A journey through the no-man's-land The road to smuggling
Efrat Forsher
Published by Israel Today: 27.06.2017 00:25
Entry from the southern Hebron hills to Israeli territory has never been easier: under the nose of Israel, in recent months the Palestinians have broken a new path on state land, within Area 918.
The road is about five kilometers long and connects to the central smuggling route that runs from south to north, connecting Tel Arad with the Green Line and the southern Hebron hills. The new road, which has been breached, runs from east to west, and now allows for a much faster and more convenient passage than the Yatta and 317 (the southern Hebron hills) into the Green Line of the State of Israel. In addition, women from the Hebron area have been smuggled in this way for polygamous marriages with Bedouin from the diaspora.
The Regavim movement, which petitioned the High Court of Justice to prevent the continuation of the work, documented the strategic breakthrough in recent months and warned of the security and criminal dangers it is creating: The Civil Administration carried out enforcement activities in the area and confiscated tools, but this did not stop the Palestinians from completing the work that took place at night and on weekends Three days ago, it was laid in concrete on part of the new road, another step on the way to turning it into a paved road, which is a convenient way to enable the movement of private vehicles, Who carried out the attack exactly a year ago at Sarona, where four people were murdered.
Yesterday we set out on a journey to document the smugglers' vehicles. We saw the vehicles, most of them bearing yellow identification plates, apparently stolen, coming from the Yatta area, descending to the new road that was breached and continuing lightly towards the smuggling route, on the way to Israel. The Border Police and Civil Administration inspectors were there yesterday morning and delayed several drivers, but most of the time the traffic there is uninterrupted, at night and in the mornings, and the driver connects to the central route and the road to Tel Arad, trough.
A quiet Palestinian annexation
The separation fence in the southern Hebron hills begins in Tarqumiya and ends in Atir. The Negev, the Arad Valley, the Judean Desert and the Dead Sea are all breached. Areas 918 and 917 serve as a buffer between the southern Hebron hills and the Negev. In the past, the IDF has used them for training purposes, but for several years the army has not been training with live ammunition because of Palestinian settlement in the area. "The Palestinian Authority has been leading a planned move in recent years to take control of strategic areas in Area C of Judea and Samaria, De facto, for its control, as part of a comprehensive plan for the unilateral establishment of a Palestinian state, "explained Arad's regional coordinator, Oved Arad," the takeover is carried out through a seemingly innocent program of construction, agriculture and civilian development. "
In the High Court of Justice, petitions have been filed against the evacuation of 12 Palestinian villages in Area 918. The state is prepared to "legalize" some of them, To decide and order the evacuation of thousands of their homes.
"The State is dragging its feet"
Yochai Damari, head of the Mount Hebron Regional Council, said: "Every day we discover a new house, a road that has been breached, a new antenna, and in its final ruling the High Court of Justice ruled that the state must formulate a policy against the illegal wave of Arab construction. Regrettably, the state is dragging its feet and showing weakness when it comes to preserving its lands. It is a wake-up call before the point of no return. "
The Civil Administration said in response: "The Civil Administration is working hard against the illegal construction of fire zones throughout Judea and Samaria, and in 2016 more than 300 enforcement actions were carried out and more than 100 illegal structures were demolished. In addition, in the case in question, two vehicles used for the breakthrough were confiscated. The petition has not yet been received. "
IDF: We have reduced smuggling
The IDF Spokesperson stated: "IDF forces in Judea and Samaria are working in cooperation with all the security forces on a daily basis and in a variety of means to prevent smuggling and illegal aliens. In this framework, security forces patrol the area, ambushes, gathering and observation operations and counterterrorism activities. In the past few months, the Judea Brigade has carried out a large-scale operation that included detentions and confiscation of vehicles, which significantly reduced the entry of illegal residents. "