Following two weeks of inactivity on the part of the Prime Minister regarding the complaints of bereaved families who have been protesting opposite the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem to make the roads of Judea and Samaria safer, the group has decided to undertake a hunger strike. Joining their ranks are community leaders from Judea and Samaria as well as MK Oren Hazan from Netanyahu’s own Likud party.

The community leaders who joined the hunger strike are Head of the Samaria Council Yossi Daggan, Head of Beit Aryeh Council Avi Naim and the Head of Kiryat Arba Council Malachi Levinger.

The Prime Minister has time and again promised, during interviews with Israeli press, that budgets will be allotted to build bypass roads in Judea and Samaria, comply with military demands that communities in these regions be outfitted with Indicative security fences and cameras, as well as add security measure to the highways that bisect the region such as better lighting and cellular service. However, as the promises kept coming, the actions behind them have not. So far, no budget has been allotted and it is estimated that the total cost of all of the projects stands at 1.2 billion NIS.

“It is with a heavy heart that we are joining the hunger strike,” said Regional Council Head Yossi Dagan. “It hurts us to have to take this step, but we are trying to prevent the next bereaved family from ever coming into existence.I call upon the Prime Minister to not be satisfied with paying lip service to the problem, but to set aside a budget to better equip the roads and the communities in Judea and Samaria in order to allow the residents to have adequate security.”

“Mr. Prime Minister, even though I am not enjoying my proper health as you know, I’ve had to undergo two surgeries in as many months, but in light of the righteousness of the cause of the bereaved families and community leaders of Judea and Samaria, I find that there is no other course of action for me than to join their cause. As of tomorrow I too will on a hunger strike until these people get what they are demanding,” Hazan said on Sunday night to those gathered at the protest tent.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)