It was about two hours before Shabbos and many residents of Tel Tzion were still stuck in traffic on Route 473 due to a vehicle stranded on the road. They were compelled to redirect towards Jerusalem for Shabbos.

Dozens of residents of Yishuv Tel Tzion in the Binyamin regional of Shomron were forced to spend Shabbos in Jerusalem. Many planned taking part in a Shabbat Chatan in the yishuv, but there was a vehicle stuck blocking traffic between Hizme and Adam. Some of the residents arrived in Tel Tzion with security forces after shekiya.

The events began on erev Shabbos about two hours before Shabbos, as it become known many community residents were stuck in traffic on the Pisgat-Ze’ev-Hizme-Adam Road towards Tel Tzion due to the stuck vehicle.

Community officials began contacting police in the hope of finding a solution and towards providing timely updates to stranded residents. Buses were also among the vehicle stuck in traffic. As a result, families including small children and babies spent Shabbos in a Jerusalem restaurant. Emergency officials worked to make sure the stranded persons had what they needed for Shabbos. Some children ere also among those stranded, without their parents.

Residents of the community have since turned to Yisrael Gantz, who heads the Binyamin Regional Council, to urgently raise the matter of traffic on Route 437, the Hizme Adam Road, which is often backed up or closed due to an accident or broken-down vehicles. They feel some type of alternate ‘escape route’ must be made available in critical times such as Erev Shabbos to avoid persons being stranded and in some cases, children without parents.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)