Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Unsafe for Bibi, Unsafe for Us

There's a joke that's not so funny, and often, not a joke about the Mashgiach (kashruth supervisor) who approves the kashruth certification of a restaurant, but when asked, he states, "I would never eat here."
Well, if he doesn't want to eat in that restaurant, I don't want to eat there either.
Tens of thousands of people are about to "eat" in the foolishly certified "restaurant", actually road called Highway 443.
After Peace Now demanded that the High Court of Justice open Highway 443 to Arab traffic, the highway has removed roadblocks and restrictions, and as of a few weeks ago, Arab cars can drive on the 443.
Well, surprise…although the opening has been an act of goodwill to the Palestinian Authority, the Arabs have shown their "goodwill" also, and there have already been cars stoned on the 443 near Beit Ghur a-Fawka.
I'm worried about all the residents of Greater Modi'in. And since I have children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews moving to the Modi'in area this year, I'm particularly hysterical about their well-being and about mine when I drive to visit them. Hashem should watch over us all.
But really, how did this road get opened to Arabs? Many of the 150,000 residents in the Modi'in region that also includes Maccabim-Re'ut, Modi'in Illit (Kiryat Sefer), Hashmonaim and Matityahu, plus the Talmon area towns are against the road's accessibility to Arabs. They remember all too well when Arab terrorists killed six residents in 2002. The road was closed to Arab traffic, because of its security risk.
The Jerusalem Post reported, "Specifically, the IDF is worried about renewed shooting attacks and bombs being planted along the highway. In December, security forces discovered the remains of an improvised explosive device made of a gas canister and firecrackers that had gone off along the road and appeared to have targeted passing Israeli cars."
UNSAFE FOR EVERYONE, INCLUDING YOU
Despite the best efforts of the IDF to secure the road, the Army doesn't think Highway 443 will be a safe place with Arabs allowed to drive there. The Shin Bet has forbidden Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu from taking the 443 (and he has a bulletproof/bomb proof/attack proof vehicle).
Now, Israel National News reports that the American government has forbidden its personnel from driving on the 443 after dark.
Well, if the 443 is not safe enough for US personnel at night, and it's not safe enough for Bibi day or night, then why should Israeli citizens have to risk their lives to make Peace Now, PA Chairman Mahmud Abbas or US President Barack Obama happy?
Why the Jews of the Modi'in Region haven't thrown themselves on the highway in protest, I have no clue. I guess it's the Modi'in heat that keeps them indoors.
But they're not the only ones who should protest. We all have family or friends living in the area. They might not be Prime Minister or US government workers, but they're important to us, and we want them safe.
Their lives are more important to me than popularity points for Mahmud Abbas.

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