The stabbing murder of Eviatar Borowski at Tapuach junction in Samaria has brought to a head the bitter relationship between local Jewish residents and the head of the IDF Central Command Major General Nitzan Alon. The Jewish residents blame Maj. Gen. Alon’s policy of containing Arab violence combined with zero tolerance of suspected Jewish violence for the deterioration of security under his command.
According to Hakol Hayehudi, many residents and public officials in Judea and Samaria have been calling recently for the dismissal of Maj. Gen. Alon, because of the worst security situation in the area since Operation Defensive Shield a decade ago.
Eviatar Borowski’s widow also published a letter saying Alon is “heartless” and calling for his dismissal.
Maj. Gen. Alon’s ties with Israel’s extreme left are considered among the strongest in the IDF top echelon. His wife, Mor Alon, is a known supporter of “Machsom Watch” which documents the activities of IDF soldiers at checkpoints in Judea and Samaria.
For some reason, the leaders of the town of Beit El picked a time when public uproar against Alon is gaining momentum to embrace the IDF commander and invite him to be the guest of honor in the main event of Jerusalem Day, at a local synagogue.
The invitation, sent out before the murder, dismayed many local residents. But in recent days the grumbling has grown into loud protest, and on Sunday residents hung fliers around town protesting Alon’s invitation.
“Inviting someone like Nitzan Alon to the town of Beit El of all places, and on the day of the liberation of Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria, is an insult to a substantial portion of the population,” the flyer, distributed to community mailboxes, declared. “We ask that you act to revoke his participation as a guest of honor at the prayer ceremony.”
The flyer contains outrageous quotes by Alon, like his statement after the murder of the Fogel family, when he said it was “a price tag price tag,” referring to the campaign by some Jews to impose a cost in loss of property to Arab hostilities.
It appears that the protest, which was joined by many Beit El residents, including public figures and rabbis, left an impression. On Sunday, the Beit El leadership informed Maj. Gen. Nitzan Alon that he was no longer welcome.