Nablus village road opens after demonstration
Hundreds [there were less than 200] of Palestinians [there were at least a dozen 'internationalists', Americans and Europeans] joined in a popular demonstration after Friday prayers in Qaryot village south of Nablus, before opening a road [when I left, the dirt roadblock was still in place; see map below]* which was closed during the intifada.
Palestinian Authority official Ghassan Doughlas
said residents were tired of Israeli measures which require them to travel 16 km through bypass roads in order to reach their homes, after a direct route was closed. [but they brought olive tree saplings which is somethibg not mentioned]
Israeli authorities stood by as Palestinian bulldozers [??? I saw no bulldozers] opened the road [it's still closed], although they called on the crowd to calm down, Doughlas added.
Here, thanks to Maplandia, is a map which I've created:
Tel Shiloh is labled in red. The community village of Shiloh is off to the right of the map, marked in black. The Arab village of Qaryut is north-east of Shiloh and Eli, another Jewish community is north of us. Moshe Moshkowitz and Yaakov Sharvit's fields are outlined in yellow. The main highway, 60 (which extends from Beer Sheva up to Afula, #2), just left of center, is entered by a dirt path (#1) that comes from Qaryut in the east.
The dirt roadblock is marked by a purple arrow.
Quite simply, while understanding the need for easy transportation arrangements, to permit traffic entry and exit at the point where the path joins Highway 60 would simply cause death, injury and damage. The highway at that point is where cars travel up to 80 kph as there is a slight decline coming fromthe south and absolutlely no way for cars traveling from the north to turn left at the proposed link-up. Right-hand tunrs also are dangerous as the vehicle would have to slow down, with speeding cars (it's a one lane in each direction road) bearing down.
It's a simple impossibility unless a lot of money is invested for major earthworks and even a traffic light. Is the PA ready for that investment - and whether or not we Jews are here, the problem exists in any event.
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*
I have been informed, both by a Qaryut resident and now by the security officer of Shiloh, that indeed the earthern roadblock was removed. I hope I will not have to report on too many traffic injuries before the road again is closed.
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And more pictures from Yonah Tzoref's camera:
a) the few olive tree sapling:-
^
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