20,000 Israelis Ignore Terror and Visit Gush Etzion

Approximately 20,000 Israelis from all over the country visited Gush Etzion on the first day of Chol HaMoed Tuesday, numbers that regional council chairman Davidi Pearl said prove the strong connection between the area and all of Israel.

He added that the throng of visitors shows that terror cannot intimidate people.

Minister Ze'ev Elkin and Uri Ariel visited the Givat Oz V'Gaon park adjacent to the Gush Etzion junction. The area was dedicated to the memories of the three yeshiva youth were murdered by Hamas terrorists last year.

Thousands of tourists also traveled through Gush Etzion to visit the Patriarchs' Cave (Maharat HaMachpela) in Hebron and the southern Hebron Hills.

Travelers reported a heavy presence of IDF patrols on Highway 60 to deter Arabs from trying to murder Jews with rocks and firebombs.