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Vice Premier Haim Ramon. (Tess Scheflan) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 07:46 24/10/2007 Defense officials: Lack of funds could halt completion of separation fence By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Vice Premier Haim Ramon is planning to ask Prime Minister Ehud Olmert for further funding to extend the West Bank separation barrier, Ramon's office said Tuesday. According to defense officials, construction of the barrier will be halted in the following weeks unless the Defense Ministry allocates further funds for the project. Ramon, who is responsible for monitoring the barrier's progress, called the meeting after learning of financial problems that could prevent its completion. Some stretches of the barrier are fence, and at other points it is a wall. The barrier is already more than half completed. Olmert appointed Ramon to oversee the project last year, when Ramon was justice minister. Ramon later had to resign after his indictment for forcibly kissing a female soldier, but Olmert reappointed him to handle the issue after he returned to the cabinet in January. Advertisement During Tuesday's meeting, defense officials told Ramon that the Defense Ministry had already earmarked its entire budget for 2008, and that none was left for the barrier's completion. According to the officials, there is currently a stretch of 100 kilometers along which contractors are allowed by law to build, but are unable because the ministry cannot pay for the work. Ramon said that he would approach the prime minister over the matter during the coming days, in order to procure other sources of funding. The vice premier said he will convene further discussions about the barrier and its related issues in the coming weeks. Ramon plans for the next discussion to focus on solutions for the problems the barrier is causing for Palestinians living near it on both sides of the Green Line. In 2004, the International Court of Justice at The Hague ruled that the barrier was illegal. The court's non-binding "advisory opinion" called for the barrier to be removed and the Arab residents to be compensated for any damage done. Israel rejected the ruling. Related articles: Court orders section of separation fence torn down UN: Separation fence will sever Jerusalem from West Bank British embassy funding study on impact of separation fence Separation fence forces expanded UN food program Bookmark to del.icio.us An unhealthy obsession 12 years after Rabin's death, the public discourse is mostly concerned with his killer. Angel in hell For two weeks last winter, German immigrant Raphael Angel lived a nightmare.   1.   Some Irony here 02:35  |  Avi 24/10/07   2.   funny men in funny wigs, International Court of "Justice" 03:23  |  akiva (zionist) 24/10/07   3.   Finish it, and diminish Palestinian citizen`s distress. 03:31  |  Fortuna Benmayor 24/10/07   4.   Ramon should forcibly kiss the wall goodby 04:57  |  Omran 24/10/07   5.   Israel goes medieval .. Don`t forget the moat! 06:00  |  Natallie Durson 24/10/07   6.   no funds to stop suicidebombers?Suicide!!!! 06:39  |  Vogel 24/10/07   7.   The Palestinians created the barrier. 08:48  |  Stephen 24/10/07   8.   wall afected? 09:09  |  anton 24/10/07   9.   demolished 09:11  |  anton 24/10/07   10.   israel rejected the Hague`s ruling because it is supported by 09:16  |  lakshmi 24/10/07   11.   #2, akiva 09:29  |  Anton 24/10/07   12.   Anton 10:16  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/10/07   13.   # 5 Anton - Peace... 10:35  |  Paul Henzen 24/10/07   14.   DON`T GIVE UP HOPE, JUST FUND IT BY YOUR OWN MONEY 11:44  |  indrajaya 24/10/07   15.   anton, there`s no wall between fatah and hamas, ? kill each other 12:12  |  mary for jews 24/10/07   16.   #9 Care to look at the ROUTE of that wall, Margie? 12:20  |  Johnboy 24/10/07   17.   @Margie, Paul Henzen & mary for jews 12:48  |  Anton 24/10/07   18.   Anton in a sheitel, profound and ridiculous. 13:11  |  akiva (zionist) 24/10/07   19.   Just make a call to Washington. 13:26  |  Truthteller 24/10/07   20.   Build It, Build It High, With Doors 14:13  |  dyinglikeflies 24/10/07   21.   Build It, Build It High, With Doors 14:14  |  dyinglikeflies 24/10/07   22.   VideoGameBoy 14:15  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 24/10/07   23.   #14, Indrajaya 16:11  |  Silvienne 24/10/07   24.   How about CUTTING DOWN ON MINISTEFRIAL PERKS 18:31  |  Dagma 24/10/07   25.   Dagma # 24 - RAMON BETTER WATCH OUT 08:02  |  Dolly 25/10/07

Today Online Amira Hass: Israel expects the PA to assist the occupation Responses: 101 Israel threatens to cut off Gaza power in response to Qassams Responses: 420 Editorial: Israel must teach students that its democracy is flawed Responses: 58 Jerusalem church suspects extremist Jews behind arson Responses: 145 Ex-Pakistani PM Bhutto: Suicide bombers will not win Responses: 21 Barak blames rightist officials for incitement before Rabin murder Responses: 54 Rosner's Domain * Republican leaders aren't happy with Bush's peace process * Is Haaretz really better than the New York Times? * WTR: A Syrian nuclear plan has a kind of logic * Poll: Were you convinced that the surge is working? More Headlines 07:28 U.S. official doubts ability of PA to police West Bank 07:18 Rice: U.S. to check Israeli claims Egypt-Gaza smuggling persists 08:17 Livni behind closed doors: Iran nukes pose little threat to Israel 07:30 UN: Hezbollah has increased military strength since 2006 war 07:37 Prague municipality to fight court allowance of neo-Nazi march 07:51 IDF kills two Hamas militants, two Islamic Jihad rocket launchers 09:00 Olmert and Abbas to meet privately on Friday for pre-summit talks 05:53 As Iran's largest trading partner, some EU members seek to up pressure 07:53 Likud shutters its Russian Web site due to critique of right-wing content 05:05 Ketziot inmates: Wardens acting provocatively, as before deadly riot Previous Editions Select Day 24 oct 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 19 oct 18 oct 17 oct 16 oct 15 oct 14 oct 12 oct 11 oct

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