Illegal Entry: No Need to Sneak In, Just Take the Bus

Arutz Sheva ^ | 13/5/12 | Maayana Miskin

[Eleutheria5]

Soldiers, Border Police, and other security forces work around the clock to fight illegal Palestinian Authority entry to Israel. At the same time, however, PA Arabs are able to travel to the heart of central Israel without the need to go through any security checks, simply by boarding a bus.

Malkiel Feder of Har Bracha in Samaria was traveling to the city of Ramat Gan on a bus run by the Afikim company when he noticed that PA Arabs were getting on and off freely. At first he assumed they were Israeli Arabs from Kfar Kassem, but as the bus continued he realized that they were from PA-controlled Samaria villages.

At no point were the PA passengers’ identity cards or bags checked, he said. Some openly carried sharp tools, while others had large closed sacks.

Feder spoke to friends and found that many others had seen the same thing. One driver checked ID cards and allowed only Israeli citizens onto the bus, but several others did not check IDs at all.

He turned to the bus company, and was told that while managers agree that allowing PA passengers to travel with no security check poses a risk, the drivers cannot take responsibility for security as they must focus on driving.

After hearing Feder’s story, Arutz Sheva attempted to clarify the matter with Afikim. The company said: “The Afikim company is obligated to abide by the rules set by the Transportation Ministry, among them Article 434, which requires drivers to provide transport to any passenger who purchases a ticket. There cannot be discrimination."

“There is a security issue here, and we are aware of the problem. The manager of Afikim is working with the relevant parties – the army, police, Transportation Ministry and others – to raise the problem....”

.....

[Jack Hydrazine]

How many mass transit bus companies are there in Israel? I thought Eged was the only one.

[Eleutheria5]

Don’t know how many, but Egged is just the biggest. There are others. In fact, there are several Arab companies for transporting Arabs within the PA, and also within Jerusalem, I’ve noticed.

[Former Fetus]

Maybe they should take a very serious look at the situation. Is it possible to reduce the number of buses and then provide a soldier/reservist to ride in each one? Prevent Arabs from riding the buses? (what is worse, hurting their tender little feelings or having israeli Jews blown to pieces?) Call me naive, but I’m praying for the new national coalition government to make drastic changes in security in Judea and Samaria. What about annexing those areas? Would then the civil authorities take care of security?

[Eleutheria5]

You picked the wrong coalition, if it’s annexation you’re looking for. Kadima is full of die-hard two-staters.

[Former Fetus]

Perhaps, but a coalition means that two parties compromised and came to an agreement. What did Kadima agreed to, besides an alternative to the Tal Law?

It doesn't really matter, the land was deeded to Israel by its Owner and the PA can move to Jordan... that is until Israel decides to claim all the land from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates!

[RedMDer]