National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to "come to his senses" after closing a "central road" in the West Bank following a terror attack on Thursday
The IDF ordered roads and businesses in Huwara to close after a Palestinian terrorist attempted to murder a man and a woman in their 20s along with their infant child earlier that day.
The terrorist was shot and killed in a firefight with Israeli forces shortly after the attack.
It is unfathomable that a central road at the heart of our nation will be blocked for Jews due to a funeral for a terrorist," Ben-Gvir charged at the defense minister on X.
"I call on the defense minister to come to his senses immediately and put a stop to the lawlessness in Huwara."
On Thursday evening, Ben-Gvir posted on X (formerly Twitter), writing that "our lives take precedence over the freedom of movement (and trade) of the 'Palestinians.' We will continue to state this truth and work towards its realization."
החיים שלנו קודמים לחופש התנועה (והמסחר) של ה"פלסטינים". נמשיך להגיד את האמת הזו ולפעול למימושה. https://t.co/inQ6HV6r5f
— איתמר בן גביר (@itamarbengvir) October 5, 2023
Palestinian media reported that Israelis entered Huwara on Thursday evening after the attempted shooting attack earlier in the day and began vandalizing shops and homes in the town.
On Friday, the highway going through Huwara was closed for several hours in order to allow for the deployment of IDF soldiers in the area and to maintain the security of all residents of the area.
פתחנו סוכה בחווארה במקום הפיגוע היום.מוזמנים ללימוד ליל הושענה רבאמחוייבים לביטחון! pic.twitter.com/wKnetstQiy
— צבי סוכות (@tzvisuccot) October 5, 2023
Amid the entry of Israelis to the town, Religious Zionist Party MK Zvi Sukkot set up a sukkah in the middle of Huwara. The MK said he later took down the sukkah after receiving a request to do so from the commander of the Samara Brigade. "I understand the anger and pain. We must change our perception and act differently. But I also call from here: one must not act violently and take the law into one's own hands. One cannot interrupt the security forces," wrote Sukkot on X.
A Palestinian was killed after being shot by Israeli forces during a clash in the Huwara area in the early hours of Friday morning, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.
According to the IDF, after several Israeli civilians gathered at the Huwara Junction, they and Palestinians began throwing stones at each other. One of the Palestinians threw a block at an Israeli vehicle, leading IDF soldiers to open fire, according to the IDF.
During the clashes, four Israelis were lightly injured by Palestinians who were throwing stones.
Smotrich demands Huwara shops remain closed until bypass ready
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich went to the site of the attempted shooting attack with Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan on Friday and demanded that the defense establishment change the way it treats terrorism.
“The West Bank is in the midst of a wave of terrorism that began during Operation Guardian of the Walls and has continued for more than two years. This wave of terrorism is directed directly by Iran and through Hezbollah, who push weapons, military equipment, and funds into the territory and recruit terrorist operatives,” said Smotrich.
“The Israeli defense establishment must internalize and act in accordance with the characteristics of this wave and adapt the course of action required to deal with it well and quickly to save lives and restore security and the sense of security to the settlers and the citizens of Israel.”
Smotrich said that he spoke with Netanyahu about the matter, adding that “I get the impression that he understands and agrees with the required change of attitude.”
“If we don't act now, we will have to act much more aggressively in the future and pay high prices for it, God forbid,” added Smotrich. ”An operational change is required to increase the rate of deterrence against the rate of terrorism, this is possible and in a short time can make a significant change. I call on the prime minister to keep the closure on the shops until the bypass is opened.”
Dagan called on the government to keep the shops in Huwara closed as well.
“Everyone knows that this bulls*%& of returning roadblocks when the media is interested and removing them later cannot continue, there is no such thing as a random roadblock, there needs to be a permanent security roadblock to prevent the leakage of weapons to the main axes as was the case in the past. The Israeli government must order the IDF to launch an intensive, comprehensive daily operation as there was in the period after Guardian of the Walls to eradicate terrorism,” said Dagan.
“Precisely because this government does so many good things and changes and corrects the policies of the previous government, we cannot understand why in the security issue it has not yet made a dramatic and strategic change from what the previous government did. We demand security, we demand from the government, come to your senses already, stop this lawlessness, it is costing lives.”
Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report.