On Sunday afternoon, residents of the communities in the area of Eastern Gush Etzion along with members from Women in Green met at the ‘T’ intersection east of Gush Etzion for a vigil following the shooting by Arab terrorists at a resident’s car that occurred the night before.

The organizers of the protest demonstration, the heads of Women in Green, Yehudit Katsover and Nadia Matar, together with Michael Luria, one of the long-standing members of the Pnei Kedem community, note that last night’s shooting incident ended miraculously, since only the driver’s leg was injured when the terrorists shot at the car, although his wife and six children were also in the vehicle, including a one-week-old infant.

Deputy Head of the Gush Etzion Council, Moshe Savil, also came to the intersection between Mezad and Ma’ale Amos on one side and Tekoa and Nokdim on the other. He called for an end in the policy of “containing” terror incidents and for the implementation of full security for the residents of the area in all of the main roads. Brigade commander of the area, Col. (Res.) Roman Gofman, also came to the site and heard from representatives of Women in Green that it was exactly in that place, about two years ago, there was an ongoing protest that went on for several weeks and ended only after it had been promised that cellular reception would be provided in the area to assure the security forces’ quick and effective response, a regular transportation station would be arranged and a manned pillbox would be set up at the place to transmit a message of security to the hitchhikers and other travelers in the area.

The residents and the protesters complained to the brigade commander that since that promise was made, there has been no actual change. There still is no cellular reception, a transportation station has not been set up and there is no pillbox. Their demand, they explained to the brigade commander, is now even sharper and more emphatic because of the recurring terror attacks in the area and in the traffic routes around the intersection.

Photos credit Women in Green