Israel Matzav

Stones thrown at Israeli vehicles in Wadi Ara

Over the weekend, three 'Palestinian youths' from the Jenin area were arrested for throwing stones at Israeli cars (link in Hebrew) on Highway 65, a main highway that runs east from the Haifa area, in the vicinity of Wadi Ara. Wadi Ara is part of the 'triangle' of Arab-populated towns in that area of the Galilee, and Highway 65 is a major thoroughfare that connects the coast and points south to the Galilee and the Golan Heights (I have driven on it several times in the past few months, and one son attends a yeshiva in the Galilee and has to travel on it regularly). It is within the green line.

The problem with this area is that whereas at most other points Highway 65 is a true highway, in the 'triangle' area it goes right through the Arab villages forcing cars to slow for traffic lights and some of the worst traffic jams in the country. Drivers are sitting ducks. The road should have been diverted around the Arab towns years ago, but because of all the business they pick up from drivers passing through, they have successfully lobbied the Knesset to prevent that from happening.

Don't hold your breath expecting it to happen now either.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:44 AM