IDF tightens security directives at Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone

Thursday, February 25, 2016, 21:30 On the evening of Thursday, February 25 the IDF announced that in response to terror attacks carried out by Arab terrorists in the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone it will tighten the restrictions on Arabs entering the complex. The IDF announcement followed a letter sent earlier the same week by Honenu Attorney Doron Nir-Tzvi to Major-General Yo’av Mordechai, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT). The entry of Arabs to the industrial zone will be limited to those over the age of 25. Arabs under the age of 25 will be allowed entry by special permit only. Honenu: “Many of the terrorists in the current wave of terror have been adults over the age of 25 and thus the directive is not a genuine solution. We will continue to act on the matter until the provisions of the law are implemented in full and the safety of citizens will not be damaged.”
In his letter Honenu Attorney Doron Nir-Tzvi stated that, “As you are aware, on February 18, 2016 Yanai Weisman, Hy”d, was murdered in the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone and one other man was injured by Palestinian terrorists who entered the Sha’ar Binyamin branch of ‘Rami Levy Shivuk Hashikma’ and began to stab shoppers. According to the law applicable in the regions of Yehuda and Shomron, and according to permanent directives from the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, Palestinians wishing to enter Israeli industrial zones in the Yehuda and Shomron regions are required to have a special permit.”
Nir-Tzvi initiated the letter after civilians turned Honenu’s attention to the sign at the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone which prohibits the entrance of non-Israeli citizens to the site without a special permit, and requested that Honenu intervene in the matter.
In his letter Nir-Tzvi drew Major-General Mordechai’s attention to the sign at the entrance to the industrial zone. “For several years a sign in Hebrew, English and Arabic has been hanging at the entrance to the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone, warning against the entry of Palestinians without a permit issued in accordance to the law by the Civil Authority.”
Has the industrial zone been operating in violation of the directives and the sign located at the entrance?
Later in his letter Nir-Tzvi wrote that according to the information he has, the directives are not being implemented at the site, “According to a letter which I have received, for a long while the entry of Palestinians to the area of the industrial zone has been permitted, even without a permit from the Civil Administration as is required by law. In addition to the information which I have, recordings from the security cameras which documented the entry of the terrorists to the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone on the day of the incident, also indicate that the guards allowed the entry of the terrorists without requiring them to present any sort of special permit.”
In conclusion Nir-Tzvi demands that Major-General Mordechai give immediate answers to his questions on the matter: “Therefore I demand your response concerning whether or not before the above-mentioned terror attack, the entry of Palestinians to the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone was allowed, particularly without presenting a permit from the Civil Authority. In the event that that is the situation, who ordered this deviation from the law? In light of the sad reality and the terror attack which occurred recently, will the regulations be changed, and will the guards at the entrance to the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone demand an entry permit from Palestinians as is required by law?”
Nir-Tzvi sent a copy of his letter to Mr. Meni Blonder, the head of the Binyamin Regional Council Security Department, under whose responsibility the Sha’ar Binyamin Industrial Zone is located.