The budget for building and maintaining security fences in Yehuda and Shomron has been cut by tens of percent, Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) reported on Wednesday morning.

The move is part of the overall government attitude towards Yesha communities, which have fallen out of favor with the current administration. In actuality, Olmert has already announced his plan towards removing most of the yishuvim, another “Disengagement Plan” mimicking Ariel Sharon’s eviction of close to 10,000 Jews from Gush Katif in the summer of 2005.

Shlomo Vaknin, the security officer for the Yesha Council of Settlements decried the move, stating the money must be allocated. He warned that it will be tragic to wait for an infiltration or other attack in a yishuv before taking appropriate action.

In a related matter, Finance Ministry funds towards subsidizing Lexan protective windows for vehicles of Yesha residents will also be drastically cut in the coming budgetary year the Army Radio report added.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)