Israeli Civil Administration, opened four new intersections on the West Bank after where poor roads and infrastructure caused fatal accidents, Ynet has learned on Wednesday.
According to Israel Police data, last year there were 21 fatal accidents in which 22 people died, and since the start of 2022, 18 fatal accidents occurred, resulting in the 22 deaths.
Many of the West Bank roads have no light, single lanes with no proper separation. In recent years, the Israeli Civil Administration, along with the Transportation Ministry invested heavily in projects for the residents of the area.
"The move provides safety to the passengers and saves lives, but the infrastructure gap in the West Bank needs an emergency operation to save more lives and prevent the unproportionate fatalities," said the head of Mateh Binyamin Regional Council. Israel Gantz.
"There are plans and some projects are already underway, but we need more government assistance to speed up the plans, and the sooner the better," he said.
2 View gallery
New intersection on West Bank road to Jerusalem
(Photo: Israeli Civil Administration)
Data from the Knesset Research Center showed that the number of fatal accidents on the West Bank roads is much higher than the national average: In accidents involving Israelis only, 5% were fatal. For accidents involving Palestinians, the number is 14%, and 9% in accidents that involve both Israeli and Palestinians, while the national average of fatal accidents is 3%.
According to the report, the main reasons was the inability of the police to enforce laws and collect fines for traffic offenses and the fact that there was no way to ensure that car and driver licenses, often issued by the Palestinian Authority, are given according to Israeli standards.
Officials say that there is little deterrence on Palestinians to adhere to the traffic laws.