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Last update - 08:19 28/10/2008 The fence, revisited By Moshe Arens Tags: security fence, Israel News Is it out of habit or mental lassitude that we continue to build the fence, which was begun many years ago? It continues on its weary way, meter by meter, costing billions, causing anguish to many, damaging private property, keeping the High Court of Justice occupied with the complaints it arouses, stirring demonstrations against it, and keeping the Israel Defense Forces busy. Does anyone still remember what the original purpose was of this physical obstacle, hundreds of kilometers long, stringing across the country? Who is taking a second look to see whether it really serves its intended purpose? Many of us prefer to forget those terrible days when Palestinian suicide bombers were roaming through our cities and murdering Israeli citizens daily. It was in those stressful days that the cry went out: "Keep them out! Build a fence, no matter what it costs! The fence around the Gaza Strip works, and we need a fence like it around Judea and Samaria!" Then-Shin Bet head Avi Dichter said we needed such a fence, and Haim Ramon accused those who opposed it of being dinosaurs prepared to endanger human lives for the sake of their outworn ideologies. No politician could withstand this pressure. A human life is worth everything, and if it took hundreds of kilometers of fence to save one, so be it. Besides, this fence was supposed to separate Israelis from Palestinians once and for all. So this humongous, unprecedented project began, and it has continued on its not-so-merry way, winding over hill and dale, ever since. Palestinian terrorism from Judea and Samaria has in the meantime been defeated, our streets and buses have become safe again, but the fence project seems to have assumed a life of its own. Advertisement Billions are still being spent, our beautiful country is being defaced, great anguish is being caused to tens of thousands living in the vicinity of the fence, and it is high time that we ask ourselves whether this fence serves any useful purpose. Is it the fence, far from completed, that is keeping terrorism out of our cities, or is it the presence of the IDF in Judea and Samaria? There is good reason to believe that it was the IDF's entry into Judea and Samaria, after the Park Hotel massacre in Netanya on the night of the 2002 seder, that largely ended the terror, and that the IDF's continued presence in Judea and Samaria is still Israel's primary defense. Without that presence, terrorism would be striking cities in central Israel. If that is the case, the fence is worse than useless. It is no more than the product of momentary hysteria and a Maginot-line mentality that seized some of our politicians, who deluded themselves into thinking that terrorism could be "fenced out." But what happens when the IDF's presence in Judea and Samaria is no longer necessary? Will we need the fence then, and should we therefore continue building it for that eventuality? That hardly seems a reasonable course of action. The IDF will not withdraw from the area until the danger of Palestinian terror has passed, and then no fence will be necessary. Continuing to build the fence is a waste of time and money, and only breeds anger and hostility. In this case, the fence does not make for good neighbors. But some will argue that the fence around the Gaza Strip works. Well, hardly. The terrorists have found ways of outwitting our politicians. Terror is coming over and under the fence. That fence did not stop the Qassam and Katyusha rockets from raining on Israel's citizens in the south. The fence did not keep the Olmert government from finally surrendering to this terror and agreeing to a cease-fire with Hamas in Gaza. And the same thing will happen if the IDF withdraws from Judea and Samaria before the terrorists there finally have been uprooted. The fence will not keep terror away. If not controlled on the ground, it will return to Israel's cities - it will come over and under the fence. Some of us want the fence not in order to keep terrorists out, but to keep Jews in. Or, in other words, in order to keep Jews out of Judea and Samaria ("the occupied territories"). But that will not work. The British tried to keep Jews out when they blockaded Mandate Palestine's shores and pursued the MacDonald White Paper policy to prevent Jews from purchasing land here. It didn't work. Nor will the fence. The time has come to take a good look at this outlandish project. Does it make any sense to continue building it? And maybe we should begin considering dismantling what has already been built. Do our politicians have the courage to admit they made a mistake? Bookmark to del.icio.us   Livni ahead in polls Netanyahu loses lead he has held for two years, while Labor heads for election debacle. The frozen chosen In staunchly Republican Alaska, a Jewish Democrat may take state's lone seat in Congress.   1.   Only a matter of time 09:25  |  Andrew Watson 28/10/08   2.   Elegant electioneering...? 09:26  |  Esther 28/10/08   3.   Terror Plummeted IMMEDIATELY In Mid-April 2002 09:34  |  Yishai Kohen 28/10/08   4.   WATSON.IF settlements causeArab terror.Before settlements?? 10:06  |  PETER SM 28/10/08   5.   I would say it was rather the Hamas restraint....... 10:17  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/10/08   6.   Wishful Thinking, Dino 10:40  |  Yishai Kohen 28/10/08   7.   You can take the cowboy out of the west... 10:46  |  Refugee 28/10/08   8.   Moshe Arens... both elegant and wily.... 10:54  |  Esther 28/10/08   9.   The fence, a long term strategic asset 11:23  |  Egon B.E. Friberger 28/10/08   10.   THE FENCE IS MONUMENT TO VICTIMS OF ARAB TERROR ATTACKS ON ISRAEL 11:41  |  terror victim 28/10/08   11.   Swiss (Dino) #5 Your News would be fantastic 11:58  |  Gil 28/10/08   12.   Arens rationalizes ignorance 12:14  |  David Teich 28/10/08   13.   # 6 Yishai Kohen and # 11 Gil 12:29  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/10/08   14.   security fence blanket 12:30  |  peter 28/10/08   15.   The fence does more harm than good 12:36  |  Vinod Joseph 28/10/08   16.   A good fence makes good neighbours 12:49  |  Michael J 28/10/08   17.   #14 Dino 12:58  |  Yishai Kohen 28/10/08   18.   Viva la fence 13:07  |  Alan SA 28/10/08   19.   It,s the occupation --stupid.Get rid of that and you get rid 13:19  |  Labhras 28/10/08   20.   # 17 Yishai Kohen 13:28  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/10/08   21.   #1 13:37  |  Elianah 28/10/08   22.   The fence 13:39  |  Tom Gerber 28/10/08   23.   more brawn than brain 13:55  |  khairi janbek 28/10/08   24.   The Purpose Of The Security Barrier 14:01  |  Jeff Northridge 28/10/08   25.   Arens` expansionism is so transparent 14:03  |  dyinglikeflies 28/10/08   26.   #23 : khairi janbek 14:36  |  JoJo 28/10/08   27.   #16 Michael J but thieves do not make good neighbours 14:38  |  Labhras 28/10/08   28.   #20 Swiss Dino 14:50  |  JoJo 28/10/08   29.   #15 Vinod Joseph. The problem could be `easily` remedied. 14:57  |  Jacques 28/10/08   30.   the shut israeli mind.. 15:23  |  ravi 28/10/08   31.   # 28 JoJo 16:25  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/10/08   32.   "Hamas Restraint" Ignores other Groups 16:33  |  Awake 28/10/08   33.   Labhras # 27 Stealing? From Whom? 16:53  |  Jeff Northridge 28/10/08   34.   Its a coalition of the fence & IDF both rely on each other 17:09  |  zionist forever 28/10/08   35.   Labhras put it to rest 17:13  |  Dr Noam 28/10/08   36.   #31 Dino 18:09  |  JoJo 28/10/08   37.   Jerusalem 18:56  |  Fadi 28/10/08   38.   to Jo Jo 26 18:56  |  khairi janbek 28/10/08   39.   The Fence 19:33  |  Steve Gure 28/10/08   40.   ravi in the shut punjab (a needle in the punjab?) 19:33  |  x-ray 28/10/08   41.   Not when it keeps terrorists ON THE OTHER SIDE 19:50  |  Yaakov K. 28/10/08   42.   # 32 Awake 22:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 28/10/08   43.   Arens and the fence 22:38  |  Otto Rand 28/10/08   44.   Labhras (#27) Good Advice get rid of Apartheid Wall in N Ireland 22:42  |  Gil 28/10/08   45.   Labhras (#27) Good Advice get rid of Apartheid Wall in N Ireland 22:43  |  Gil 28/10/08   46.   Just keep on building. Cement is now cheap. 23:26  |  Stephen. 28/10/08   47.   Moshe Arens is wrong 00:15  |  Free Gilad Shalit 29/10/08   48.   # 32 Awake, I have sent you a response earlier..... 01:12  |  Swiss (Dino) 29/10/08   49.   It is a real pity that a brilliant person such as Mischa Ehrans 01:41  |  Dan Chazan 29/10/08   50.   No Swiss, no. 03:11  |  Awake 29/10/08   51.   The Fence 03:54  |  Yaffe 29/10/08   52.   Can Arens explain.... 04:08  |  dovvod 29/10/08   53.   Settlements 04:13  |  dovvod 29/10/08   54.   The Fence 06:26  |  sb 29/10/08   55.   Iran 06:34  |  Robert Snider 29/10/08   56.   Stone-Age Arens 08:51  |  michael cohen 29/10/08   57.   Out of Touch W/Reality 09:09  |  Tillie 29/10/08   58.   To # 27 Labhras 11:11  |  Michael J 29/10/08   59.   19: Labras and his "jihad and run" tactic 16:26  |  David Teich 29/10/08

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