Jews in Samaria marched to an IDF base on Friday with flowers, balloons and gifts for soldiers as an expression of gratitude for their reducing the dangers on the roads, where Arab terrorists have been endangering the lives of Jewish motorists with hundreds of firebomb and rock-throwing attacks.
Jewish residents trying to carry out the smallest and mundane tasks, such as running the minutest errands, have become a dangerous incursion into terror-ridden territory.
Following protests, which included a march on an Arab village that is home to Arab attackers, the IDF stepped up its efforts to combat the phenomena. The result has been a decrease in the attacks against the civilians living in Judea and Samaria and a more stable sense of security.
The IDF has engaged in hundreds of arrests, raids, and stakeouts, and it has added patrols and more forces.
The residents of Judea and Samaria held a special rally, marching from Talmon to the nearby IDF base. Hundreds of residents, entire families marched, bearing backed goods, flowers, drawings prepared by children and other such gifts for the soldiers stationed there. When they got to the base they hung balloons of the parameter fence.
Ravid Sharon, one of the organizers, told Tazpit News Agency, “The IDF has been operating overtly and covertly, and has achieved real results. We can all sense the improved state of security. We are all thankful for the peace and quiet which has returned to the region, and we felt an obligation and a prerogative to thank those who have worked to restore the peace.”
Emily Amrusi, a resident of Talmon who participated in the rally, further added: “When we sleep peacefully at night there is someone awake. Gratitude is a value which is important for ourselves and our children. When the security situation deteriorated we knew to protest. Now that things have improved we are obligated to express our gratitude.”
A personal thank-you letter was also presented to the Benyamin Division Commander, Colonel Yossi Pinto.
Perhaps the expression of gratitude will have some long-lasting effect on the military. In the past, every reduction in rock-throwing attacks has been followed, sooner or later, by an even worse barrage.
Just as a reminder that the Arab terrorists still are around, they threw a firebomb at a checkpoint near Jenin, in central Samaria, Saturday night. No one was injured.