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Last update - 11:54 14/07/2009
West Bank fence not done and never will be, it seems
By Amos Harel
Tags: Ariel Sharon 

Seven years after construction work began on the West Bank separation fence, the project seems to have run aground. Work has slowed significantly since September 2007, and today, after the state has spent about NIS 9.5 billion, only about 60 percent of the more limited, revised route has been completed.

With fierce opposition coming from the United States, Israel has halted work on the "fingers" - enclaves east of the Green Line that were to have included large settlement blocs such as Ariel, Kedumim, Karnei Shomron and Ma'aleh Adumim, within the fence. The military has, in practice, closed up the holes that were to have led to these "fingers." But giant gaps remain in the southern part of the fence, particular in the southern outskirts of Jerusalem, in the Etzion bloc and in the Judean Desert.

Since the cabinet under former prime minister Ariel Sharon first approved construction of the fence, in June 2002, the route has undergone some dramatic changes. The original route, which was inspired by Sharon, was to have effectively annexed about 20 percent of the territory of the West Bank to Israel.
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In June 2004 the High Court of Justice, ruling on a petition by residents of Beit Sourik, ordered the state to amend the route to reduce the disruption it caused to Palestinians.

About nine days later the International Court of Justice in The Hague issued an advisory opinion declaring the barrier illegal and demanding that Israel dismantle it.

In response, the cabinet amended the route in February 2005 to include just nine percent of the West Bank. In April 2006 an additional one percent was shaved off by the government of Ehud Olmert.

In practice, however, the route encompasses only 4.5 percent of West Bank land. The four "fingers" in the last map (and which Israel presented at Annapolis in November 2007) were never built, not at Ariel and Kedumim (where a "fingernail" was built, a short stretch of fence east of the homes of Ariel); not at Karnei Shomron and Immanuel; not at Beit Arieh, nor south of that, at Ma'aleh Adumim. Instead, with little publicity, fences were put up to close the gaps closer to the Green Line, at Alfei Menashe instead of at Kedumim, at Elkana instead of Ariel and in the Rantis area instead of at Beit Arieh.

About 50,000 people in these settlements remain beyond the fence. West of Ma'aleh Adumim the wall built along Highway 1 blocks the gap in the barrier and leaves the city's 35,000 residents outside of the barrier, forcing them to pass through a Border Police checkpoint in order to reach Jerusalem. The fact that the "fingers" were never built also damages these people's security because the state refuses to build periphery fences around them and declare their proximity to a "special military area."

In some cases, such as the roads built around the original barrier route at the Beit Arieh enclave, hundreds of millions of shekels were wasted on unused roads that may never be completed.

Large gaps remain in the southern West Bank. Between Gilo in south Jerusalem and Gush Etzion are tens of kilometers of barrier, work on which was suspended due to two High Court petitions - one filed by residents of Beit Jala, the other by villagers from Batir, Husan and Nahalin. As a result access to Jerusalem from the direction of Bethlehem is relatively easy - for commuters and terrorists both.

In the case of the former petition, the state has delayed submitting its response for months. In the second, the High Court has still not ruled after about two and a half years. Part of the dispute is over the construction of the eastern barrier, one of two surrounding Gush Etzion. The bloc, which even the Palestinians will presumably agree to keeping - at least part of it - within Israeli territory in the final-status agreement, has been without a barrier for seven years.

A second, 30-kilometer gap in the fence, stretches from Metzudat Yehuda (Yatir) in the west to the Dead Sea in the east. The state announced during a recent High Court deliberation of a petition submitted by area Bedouin that work on the barrier there was suspended.

The delay in building the barrier at Ma'aleh Adumim is typical and illuminates the state's conduct overall. The High Court has intermittently deliberated on a petition by resident of Sawahra against the route of the fence at Kedar that was to have been built on their land. Work was suspended, and the state recently submitted a new map that annexes less of the territory, but at the last High Court session, earlier this month, the representative of the state said the work would not be resumed "for budgetary and other reasons."

Supreme Court President Dorit Beinisch suspended the court's ruling, in light of the state's response, saying she had no intention of "dealing with virtual matters." That description seems apt for the entire separation fence, at this point.

The Brodet Commission, which in 2007 examined the state's military budget, included in its report scathing criticism of the way the budget for the separation barrier was handled.

"The conduct regarding construction of the fence is another example of wasteful, inadequate conduct. The committee was not persuaded that the process was carried out with due, detailed consideration that took in all of the economic and security considerations. The commission saw no analysis of cost-effectiveness or a thorough examination. The army viewed itself as a subcontractor," the report said.

IDF Colonel (res.) Shaul Arieli, who has studied the fence issue extensively on behalf of the Council for Peace and Security, told Haaretz in response: "The desire to include more territory within the confines of the fence than is practically possible has resulted in a situation where the settlement blocs are left outside of the fence while other blocs remain vulnerable and do not receive protection. In addition, exorbitant sums of money have been pumped into infrastructure and fences that were supposed to follow a route that was impossible to complete."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak is "determined to complete the security fence, despite the delays," his office said in a statement. "The minister and the military establishment are working to solve the problems delaying its completion."

Defense Ministry officials pointed out that Barak was "among the first supporters of the fence and did much to advance its construction."

Security officials claim the rate of construction depends on finding a solution to the legal issues and point out proudly that there is an unbroken barrier from Tirat Zvi in the Beit She'an Valley to the southern entrance to Jerusalem, and from southern Gush Etzion to Metzudat Yehuda.

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      1.   Not a fence 02:57  |  Bethlehem resident 14/07/09
      2.   SECURITY FENCE MUST STAY FOREVER. 03:27  |  BOB KING 14/07/09
      3.   The fence 03:41  |  WHG 14/07/09
      4.   JUST 5 % 04:33  |  Yosi 14/07/09
      5.   The "fence" will be unnecessary 05:18  |  Otto Rand 14/07/09
      6.   "Security fence"/Apartheid wall is a temporary structure. 05:21  |  Maureen Ann 14/07/09
      7.   No mention of Bil`in 05:53  |  David 14/07/09
      8.   Otto Rand 06:04  |  wibism 14/07/09
      9.   No Terrorism = No Need For A Fence 06:07  |  Jeff Northridge 14/07/09
      10.   The Wall is not about security, Just take a look at .... 06:24  |  Josh 14/07/09
      11.   the numbers 06:26  |  Miron 14/07/09
      12.   Nehemiah said, no,no to Ono 06:33  |  MMM 14/07/09
      13.   #12 - Actually, MMM, America has already built one. 07:33  |  The Machsom Watcher 14/07/09
      14.   The Problem with the Separation Barrier 07:39  |  The Machsom Watcher 14/07/09
      15.   Josh, I suggest you take some time, too. 07:42  |  The Machsom Watcher 14/07/09
      16.   Well, Maureen Ann, as to your question... 07:47  |  Tzfonit 14/07/09
      17.   Consider . . . 07:51  |  English Resident 14/07/09
      18.   Fence is pointless 08:24  |  Mohammad 14/07/09
      19.   Self defence fence 08:35  |  zznhl 14/07/09
      20.   MMM - In your ignorance, you have missed the point entirely 08:40  |  Natallie Durson 14/07/09
      21.   Judge Jeff--you must have missed this part. 08:41  |  Labhras 14/07/09
      22.   MMM you are stupid 08:42  |  Marilyn 14/07/09
      23.   Why do Palestinian supporters swallow propaganda so easily? 08:47  |  Joe Sittizen 14/07/09
      24.   For the cost of the fence 09:26  |  Amos Nandy 14/07/09
      25.   # 12 mmm 09:30  |  Axel 14/07/09
      26.   12 MMM - US IS Building Fence 09:46  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/07/09
      27.   Josh #10 -- I have, and you are wrong 09:58  |  bbl 14/07/09
      28.   not a fence but land steal 09:59  |  just facts 14/07/09
      29.   To # 12 10:04  |  Sam 14/07/09
      30.   The fence is an apartheid offence... 10:07  |  Esther 14/07/09
      31.   Separation Wall 10:15  |  Froy 14/07/09
      32.   the fence is a great asset 10:18  |  Mike 14/07/09
      33.   Let Israel wrap itself up within its wall ... 10:33  |  Chanalau, Tova 14/07/09
      34.   #4 11:23  |  Clock 14/07/09
      35.   Stop calling it a fence 11:41  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 14/07/09
      36.   to #9 Jeff 11:53  |  Juge 14/07/09
      37.   To: Natalie Durston and BBs News. Part 1 12:21  |  Wile E Coyote 14/07/09
      38.   TO Natalie and BbsNews Part 2 12:23  |  Wile E. Coyote 14/07/09
      39.   to #27 bbl 12:34  |  Juge 14/07/09
      40.   Should have built it on your own land 12:41  |  Johan Odin 14/07/09
      41.   Joe Sittizen- Does Israel fancy itself a western democracy or not 13:06  |  Natallie Durson 14/07/09
      42.   Fence? Wall? Why does the name matter? look at its effects. 13:42  |  lior 14/07/09
      43.   #26 Mark of Lewiston,The US is building a fence and on American.. 13:51  |  Canadian Observer 14/07/09
      44.   Juge # 36 No, It Would Not 14:09  |  Jeff Northridge 14/07/09
      45.   no money honey 15:07  |  uetliberg 14/07/09
      46.   abu firas al qudsi 15:08  |  Uetliberg 14/07/09
      47.   To Sam from Alabam 16:50  |  utagawa 14/07/09
      48.   To Natalie 16:59  |  utagawa 14/07/09
      49.   #40 Johan Odin; It is on our own land,You`re deficient in history 17:06  |  Israeli observer 14/07/09
      50.   #44 Jeff explains..... 17:41  |  Johnboy 14/07/09
      51.   high fences 18:06  |  khairi janbek 14/07/09
      52.   What fence? 18:07  |  Merlholland 14/07/09
      53.   Never Should be Finished 18:25  |  Vladek 14/07/09
      54.   waisting billions of Israeli tax payers money on a failure 18:39  |  Ernst 14/07/09
      55.   #14 Machsom Watcher 18:45  |  Yonatan 14/07/09
      56.   Natallie 19:05  |  Lon 14/07/09
      57.   To Durson on "International media" (wow!) 19:14  |  Israeli citizen 14/07/09
      58.   Is USA a "western" democracy, Durson? 19:17  |  Israeli citizen 14/07/09
      59.   Not a fence 19:33  |  Janice 14/07/09
      60.   For Mohammad in Ramallah 20:13  |  Fortuna Benmayor 14/07/09
      61.   For Otto Rand 20:16  |  Fortuna Benmayor 14/07/09
      62.   Jeff Northridge - Is Israel a sovereign state? 20:44  |  CJ 14/07/09
      63.   utagawa "Land grab of the Mexican-American War?" 20:47  |  CJ 14/07/09
      64.   utagawa - Welcome to 2009, post 1945 20:51  |  CJ 14/07/09
      65.   Yonatan, it must be only for security. 20:53  |  The Machsom Watcher 14/07/09
      66.   Settlements beyond "fence gaps" serve the same purpose 21:04  |  Voice of Reason 14/07/09
      67.   Yonatan - Is Kfar-Saba actually in Israel? 21:06  |  CJ 14/07/09
      68.   to Machsom watcher 21:17  |  janice 14/07/09
      69.   Amazing how silly the comments are! 21:24  |  RfaelMoshe 14/07/09
      70.   43 Canadian Observer - Dobbs is Borderline Paranoid 21:51  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/07/09
      71.   Fortuna #60, 61, it`s a long time since the fence was built only 22:30  |  Esther 14/07/09
      72.   West bank will be completed soon after border is agreed 23:46  |  binny 14/07/09
      73.   CJ # 62 Not Necessarily 01:15  |  Jeff Northridge 15/07/09
      74.   To; Wile E Coyote 03:18  |  Carole, UK 15/07/09
      75.   N. Durson - In your ignorance, you have missed the point entirely 03:31  |  Gene 15/07/09
      76.   West Bank Wall 04:03  |  Sceptic 15/07/09
      77.   Hey Palestinian supporters,were you responding to my 04:05  |  MMM 15/07/09
      78.   The "security" fence is a phony. Every week Israeli police 04:30  |  Diane Mason 15/07/09
      79.   You know why Hamas keeps bothering Israel 07:45  |  MMM 15/07/09
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