Shomron Regional Council leader Gershon Mesika spoke with Channel 2 News following the morning’s fatal terror attack at Tapuach Junction.

Mesika blames the government for abandoning the security of area residents with the removal of the checkpoints. He pointed out that the terrorist who perpetrated the attack today came from Tulkarem, “Tens of kilometers away, yet he did not have to pass a single checkpoint so the path for his attack was cleared by the government.”

Mesika added that Tapuach Junction, the site of the attack, is a major intersection and there are many people waiting for rides; including students from Ariel University who are coming from Jerusalem and other areas. He explained that “Arabs come very close to the Jews at the major intersection and Baruch Hashem today’s attack did not end worse as the gunfire from the terrorist was aimed in the opposite direction from the hitchhiking post.”

Mesika calls on the government to return checkpoints and take measures to restore security for areas residents.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)