The squeeky settler gets more patrols

In addition to the usual spam that fills our e-mail mailbox, we receive notices from people who live in our yishuv - we have our own group list.

Today's mail contained a call for houses for an upcoming bar mitzvah (people regularly lend others their homes to put up guests), the special hours for the library for the week of Chanukah, a few political jokes, reminders about upcoming shiurim (Torah lessons), and these two gems.

1. Due to the fact that there were two pipe bombs found on the road by an adjacent settlement, there will be a special meeting with the army representative for our area (don't ask me to interpret the Hebrew abbreviation for his rank, all I know is that the guys in green are ours). At this meeting we will basically ask for more patrols.

2. Due to the fact that there were two pipe bombs found in our area, a group is being formed to take action.

OOOOO - Action.

Calm down guys, it sounds more exciting than it is.

In case our meeting doesn't bear fruit, and more patrols aren't implemented, we will meet early in the morning to block the road. The Arab cars and delivery trucks won't be able to get through to the nearby village, someone will call the police, the army will negotiate, and we will then leave the road. Enough heat and light will be generated by this action (who knows, we may make it to the next breathless Peace Now report on settler oppression of Arabs - no mention of the pipe bombs, of course) so that the army will send more jeeps out.

I am not blaming the IDF for this scenario. They unfortunately have their hands full, and they have to constantly assess what is happening on the ground to decide where to put their troops.

What bothers me is that the actual presence of these pipe bombs is not enough justification for more troops. We have to make a point of politely but firmly complaining, and if that doesn't work, we have to go through this charade on the road.

The powers-that-be only go into CYA mode (I won't translate THAT abbreviation for obvious reasons) when the Arab residents of the area are inconvenienced, and not when the Jewish residents are threatened.

Such is life in my little corner of the world.