The area army commander is expected to approve a move that will open the main Chevron road to PA (Palestinian Authority) motorists after being separated for most of the past 15 years. Chevron’s Jewish community is understandably upset, angered and most of all, concerned, aware the new vehicular arrangements will add additional peril to their day-to-day lives.

Officials are also planning to permit the reopening of the Arab Shuk, King David Street (Shuhada Street), an area that has also been closed for a long time due to the security concerns surrounding such a reality.

BACKGROUND

The road has been closed for most of the time since 1997. It was closed for the first time in February 1994, after Dr. Baruch Goldstein opened fire in the Machpelah, killing 29 Muslims. It was then opened sporadically for trading and merchants, not for vehicles however.

When the so-called Second Intifada erupted, the road was once again closed, a move the Arab insist is costing them dearly regarding their livelihood, accusing Israel of an “apartheid policy”.

What appears to be a contributory factor to the expected decision are a number of petitions before the High Court of Justice, filed during recent years, with security officials preferring to make a move before being ordered to do so by the court. In general, the IDF has been removing checkpoints throughout Yehuda and Shomron towards relaxing security restrictions on PA residents. This comes after Israel gave a green light to deploying hundreds of additional armed PA forces, in an area which is known to host a strong Hamas foothold.

CHEVRON’S JEWISH COMMUNITY RESPONDS

Chevron Jewish community spokesman Noam Arnon comments on the planned opening of the road:

I do not know if I should laugh or cry. Earlier today, reports of Kassam attacks are aired, proving there is no partner and no one from the PA can be trusted. At present, Chevron is quiet and the Arab sector enjoys a growing commercial trade. The name HaShuhada is not acceptable to us, which refers to the murderers, and the proper name of the street is Dovid HaMelech (King David). It is the only road that permits the Jews to live; all of 1.5km (1 mile), a ghetto, and it represents all of 3% of Chevron. Understand, the other 97% of the city is closed to Jews. It is not mine or our decision, but the decision that was made when Chevron was divided. Chevron’s Jewish community constitutes a very small area.

If the security situation is as good as everyone says it is, we welcome this too and please, let us travel freely as the Arabs will be permitted to do. We should be able to enter Arab areas too. In essence, we are the victims of Israel’s apartheid policy against the Jews. Most of the city is closed to Jews and now, the little that remains is in jeopardy.

Chevron should be a large tourist city and the entire area should be open to all, Jews and Arabs. The current discriminatory policies cannot continue, prohibiting Jews from traveling. Even the closure of the Arab shuk was the security decision of the IDF, not a request of the Jewish community. The current discrimination is nothing more than capitulation to terror.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)