Israel Alters Security Fence Route To Exclude Palestinian Arabs
This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.
JERUSALEM – Israel’s Cabinet yesterday voted to modify the route of its West Bank security fence to put thousands of Palestinian Arabs on the “Palestinian” side of the fence, officials said.
The original proposal would have put the Palestinian Arabs, who live in the area of the Jewish settlement of Ariel, on the “Israeli” side of the fence, officials said.
Israel’s interim prime minister, Ehud Olmert, says he wants the security fence concluded by the end of the year. He decided last week to erect a temporary security fence around Jerusalem to protect Israelis in areas where the permanent barrier has not yet been completed.
Israeli left-wing organizations accused Mr. Olmert of trying to bypass the Supreme Court, where dozens of Palestinian Arab petitions against the security fence are pending.
Israel says the fence, which dips into the West Bank at several points, is meant to provide security by preventing suicide bombers from entering the country. Palestinian Arabs call it a land grab.
Israel has so far constructed 230 miles of the security fence, which will stretch 460 miles when it is completed.
