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Leaders of communities throughout Yehuda and Shomron have been manning a protest tent outside the official Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem, without any progress on the issues at hand. The leaders are calling for additional bypass roads and improved security in Yehuda and Shomron, stating the situation has become intolerable. Demands include additional lighting along existing roads, new roads, improved cell phone reception, with the latter being absent entirely in too many areas throughout Yehuda and Shomron.

On Sunday, they decided to step it up a notch and announced they are beginning a hunger strike. Additional leaders from communities throughout these areas on Monday, 17 Cheshvan, announced they too are joining the protest tent and the hunger strike in the hope of pressuring Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his administration into action.

Heads of councils maintaining a presence in the tent include Yossi Dagan (Head of the Shomron Regional Council), Malachi Levinger (Head of the Hebron/Kiryat Arba Regional Council), and Avi Naim (Head of the Beit Aryeh Local Council). They have been promised 1.2 billion shekels in the budget, but the money remains in the realm of a promise as to date, nothing has actually been allocated.

On Sunday, MK (Likud) Oren Chazan announced he will be joining the tent on Monday because he feels the matter is one of urgency. He told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) “I know it may harm my health, but the move is necessary to prevent the next terror attack”. Chazan points out this is not a personal war against Prime Minister Netanyahu, as he allocated the funds, “But the funds must be released. I live in Ariel and this is relevant to my life as well.” Chazan added the tent, which is also manned by bereaved families, has unfortunately become “a part of the background scenery next to the Prime Minister’s Residence and they must act to compel those with the authority to release the funds, as promises alone are insufficient”.

The head of the Shomron Regional Council, Yossi Dagan, explained the decision: “With a heavy heart, we announce our joining the hunger strike, but it is very painful for us, but this war is to prevent the next bereaved family. I call on the prime minister not to make do with declarations to the media.

“Our struggle is for life and it is certain to me that ultimately, it will be actualized but it is important that it is sooner, before the next attack and before there is another bereaved family.

“Mr. Prime Minister, we are your supporters, the right-wing residents of the yishuvim who continue to sit on the sidewalk outside your home and beginning tomorrow, we will begin the hunger strike as we have a simple demand – security for our families”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)