Settler Inaugurates Junction Near Ramallah, Demands Road Reopening
Yoel Tzur, a settler and bereaved father, inaugurated "Tzur Junction" on the Walrstein axis near Ramallah on Sunday, marking the site where his wife Ita and son Ephraim were murdered in a shooting attack approximately 30 years ago. Tzur, accompanied by his daughter and grandchildren, called on the Israeli government and security establishment to reopen the road, which has been closed to Jewish traffic for 26 years.
The reopening of the Walrstein axis is a central demand of an expanding settler movement aiming to connect the settlement blocs of Beit El and Ofra with the Dolev-Talmonim area in western Benjamin. The closure forced residents onto a lengthy detour, extending travel time from 12 minutes to nearly an hour. In recent weeks, settler activists have been conducting daily convoys along the axis to establish a presence and pressure authorities to approve its full reopening.
Recent measurements by residents indicate that direct travel from Dolev to Beit El via the axis now takes approximately 13 minutes, a reduction of about 60% in travel time. This would significantly alleviate traffic congestion on Route 60 and at checkpoints.
"We are opening 'Tzur Junction' today in memory of Ita and Ephraim, who were murdered right here at this junction," Tzur stated at the inauguration. "This place must return to full Israeli control for two reasons: first, the security aspect, it is inconceivable that such a central junction remains abandoned without our forces' grip. Second, it is a civilian lifeline. We call on the government and the security establishment to make the Walrstein axis operational, reconnect eastern and western Benjamin, and allow tens of thousands of residents free, safe, and fast movement. Beyond the dramatic shortening of the journey, opening the axis will relieve the congestion at the checkpoints. It is time for the army and the government to make a decision: seize the territory and open the road."
