Route 443 has become a primary route for Israelis traveling from Jerusalem to the Modi’in area, to such communities such as Kiryat Sefer, Hashmonaim, Shilat, and other areas located in the Benjamin Regional Council of the Shomron, such as Nachliel and N’vei Tzuf.

A number of Palestinian Authority residents represented by ACRI (Association for Civil Rights in Israel) turned to the High Court seeking to compel the IDF to open the road to PA motorists as well, explaining the alternative routes available to them today are not reasonable. The court upheld the IDF ban in last week’s ruling, based on security concerns for the growing number of Israeli motorists using 443; also know as the alternate Jerusalem-Tel Aviv Road.

The court has ordered the state to report on progress in six months regarding the alternate road being constructed for PA motorists.

The road was closed to PA residents following a sharp increase in terror attacks a number of years ago.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)