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The Fence
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| Cyrus King |
| quote: |
Sharon keeps up push for Israel's controversial separation fence Wednesday, 23-Jul-2003 10:21AM Story from AFP / Christian Chaise
Copyright 2003 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet)
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JERUSALEM, July 23 (AFP) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is continuing to defy Washington over the ongoing project for a massive fence dividing Israel from the West Bank, which is strongly opposed by the Palestinians and not fully accepted even within his own camp.
A vote slated to take place Tuesday in the Israeli parliament to decide on extra funding to complete the structure was postponed until further notice, a Knesset spokesman told AFP.
Public radio said the delay was caused by members of Sharon's Likud party, who defied their leader's call Monday to approve the 750-million-shekel (170-million-dollar) package and demanded the route of the fence be further discussed.
On Monday, Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz confirmed the 350-kilometre (215-mile) fence -- aimed at preventing infiltrations by Palestinian militants -- would penetrate some 15 kilometres (10 miles) into the West Bank to take in Ariel, one of the largest Jewish settlements in the West Bank.
According to public radio, Mofaz argued that the fence -- which he said would cost 2.2 million dollars a kilometre (1,100 yards) -- was "vital" for Israel's security.
If it was not completed, the deployment of extra army reservists would be even more costly, he warned.
The fence loosely follows the 1967 Green Line division between Israel and the West Bank, but it dips deep into occupied Palestinian territory at several points in order to protect settlements.
It also leaves several Palestinian villages cut off from the rest of the West Bank.
The Palestinians accuse Israel of using the fence to unilaterally determine the borders of a future Palestinian state -- scheduled under the US-backed peace roadmap to be in place in 2005 -- and of wanting to "ethnically cleanse" the West Bank with a de facto annexation of its most fertile regions.
Construction of the fence was launched in June 2002. It is also expected to cut annexed east Jerusalem off from the rest of the West Bank and a first 145-kilometre (90-mile) section is due for completion in July.
Even though prospects for peace are better than they have been for years, Sharon told his followers Monday that the best possible fence must be built as quickly as possible.
Opinion polls show that a majority of Israelis are in favour of it, though paradoxically the religious right, including settlers, are opposed, saying that the biblical Israel includes the West Bank and should not be divided.
US President George W. Bush's national security advisor Condoleezza Rice, on a visit to Jerusalem at the end of June, asked Sharon to revise the line of the fence.
Sharon refused to compromise but assured Rice that it was not a frontier.
A second section, of some 60-70 kilometres (36-42 miles), is under construction in the northeast of the West Bank, to prevent infiltrations in the north of the Jordan Velley.
"We envisage that this barrier will run along the length of the Palestinian territories," government spokesman Avi Pazner told AFP.
The Israeli daily Maariv, for its part, said that the various meanderings of the fence, which in one part near Jenin consists of a high concrete wall, would bring its total length to between 800 and 900 kilometres (490 and 550 miles).
At the price per kilometre given by Mofaz this would cost a staggering 1.8 billion dollars, at a time when Israel is in severe economic straits.
Palestinian prime minister Mahmud Abbas will raise the question of the fence when he has his first White House meeting with Bush on Friday. And Bush is almost certain to raise it with Sharon at their talks four days later.
A foreign diplomat, however, said that Sharon still appeared to be ambivalent.
"Sharon was elected at the beginning of 2001. So he has been around two and a half years and he hasn't built the wall. So I think he is delaying it as much as possible ... hoping he can push it to the back burner."
chz/mb/hc/bm
Mideast-Israel-fence-Sharon
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http://www.prolog.net/webnews/wed/b...e.RvPx_DlN.html
What does everyone think about this... i personally think it is disgusting to build this fence. It is just another tactic to displace and segregate palestinians from their own land. Also, they are taking alot more land than they are supposed to.
I saw a documentary about this, and the fence at one point stole a palestinian olive field while constructing this fence.
They say this is vital for security.... but it will make things worse. One must root out the problem, not ignore it. |
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| Arbiter |
| I can't see it being effective enough to justify the expenditure. |
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| Viber |
i dont know on one side it is ignoring the problem but on the other side it keeps terrorists ass holes from israeli population what is good and its better to put a fance and not a soldier instead
but only to remind you i gave my negetive opinion on settlements before |
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| Shakka |
| Reminds me of the Berlin Wall. In the long run, probably a terrible idea, but in the present I can understand why someone would want to take such measures. Pretty sad that they resort to that. |
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| daffodil |
| quote: | Originally posted by Shakka
Reminds me of the Berlin Wall. In the long run, probably a terrible idea, but in the present I can understand why someone would want to take such measures. Pretty sad that they resort to that. |
my thoughts exactly. what's going to stop palestinians and israelis from crossing the wall? the thought is pretty abominable, but at the same time you have to consider that they also just can't get along. neither side will be happy with any border that is drawn up and a fence/wall will only deepen their hatred and intolerance.
also reminds me a bit of "separate but equal." segregation only made intolerance and racism worse -- when you start establishing things that are "black only" and "white only" and "israeli only" and "palestinian only" there is just more opportunity for violence when someone crosses these putative boundaries. |
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| Shakka |
| quote: | Originally posted by daffodil
also reminds me a bit of "separate but equal." segregation only made intolerance and racism worse -- when you start establishing things that are "black only" and "white only" and "israeli only" and "palestinian only" there is just more opportunity for violence when someone crosses these putative boundaries. |
Stranger things have happened! |
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| hardcore trancer |
| Ya I think this wall is a bad idea,and there will probably be more attacks against Isreal.Making this wall will bring no good to either sides,but more hate. |
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| Viber |
| quote: | Originally posted by hardcore trancer
Ya I think this wall is a bad idea,and there will probably be more attacks against Isreal.Making this wall will bring no good to either sides,but more hate. |
so i guess you think that people and not walls should get the bullets |
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| Shakka |
That's an interesting take on the situation. I think that building a divisive, in your face wall/fence will only serve to heighten any existing animocity. The message it sends is that there is no way that the 2 sides can live in the same space together. And while that may certainly be the case now and the fence is supposed to be a protective/defensive measure, I think the bottom line is that it will only solidify hostilities.
Not that I can suggest a great alternative off the top of my head:( |
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| hardcore trancer |
| quote: | Originally posted by Viber
so i guess you think that people and not walls should get the bullets |
You really think that stupid wall is gonna end all the suicide bombings??
It'll make things worst. |
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| Viber |
| quote: | Originally posted by hardcore trancer
You really think that stupid wall is gonna end all the suicide bombings??
It'll make things worst. |
i think thAT if it will save one life it will be worth it |
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| Cyrus King |
| quote: | Originally posted by Viber
i think thAT if it will save one life it will be worth it |
The point is that it will extinguish more lives and not "save" lives. |
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