IDF: At least another year until West Bank fence is completed
Only 42 percent of the barrier has been completed; 336 kilometers of total 790 kilometers considered operational.
By Amos Harel and Haaretz CorrespondentConstruction of the West Bank separation fence started nearly four years ago, but only 42 percent of the planned structure has been completed and military officials say it will take at least one more year to finish.
According to figures issued by the Defense Ministry, only 336 kilometers of the fence are considered operational out of a total planned length of 790 kilometers. An additional 102 kilometers are in various stages of construction, 67 kilometers are still at the paperwork level, and the building of 285 kilometers is still waiting for court approval.
Israel Defense Forces officials say the delays are not due to budgetary or technical reasons. They promise that work can be accelerated as soon as the legal and planning decisions are made.
The final version of the barrier may be significantly shorter than originally planned, in line with Supreme Court and political decisions, particularly in the Samaria "fingers" area (the Ariel and Karnei Shomron settlement blocs), and less so in the Etzion Bloc.
By the end of this year, an additional 100 kilometers will be completed.
The Defense Ministry previously committed itself to completing the barrier as early as the end of 2005. Even last Monday, during meetings with Justice Minister Haim Ramon, the tone was optimistic: representatives of the Defense Ministry promised that by the end of 2006 as much as 95 percent would be ready.
The northern section of the barrier is fully operational, from Tirat Zvi in the Jordan Valley, through the Salem crossing north of Jenin, to the Elkana settlement - a total of 248 kilometers. An additional 60 kilometers, out of a total of 110 planned, between Elkana and the Ofer Camp west of Ramallah, have been completed. In the Jerusalem area, 33 of the 88 planned kilometers have been built. Fifty-five kilometers of the route between Jaba, west of the Etzion Bloc, and Metzudat Yehuda, south of Mount Hebron, are also finished.
The most troubling segment for the Defense Ministry is the one in the Jerusalem environs. This is the area through which most of the recent suicide bombers, sent from the northern West Bank, entered Israel. Of a total of 88 kilometers, 33 are finished, 13 are under construction and 42 are still pending court decisions.
Much of the fence area that has not been completed is being "temporarily blocked," usually by barbed wire with no surveillance or alarm equipment. Such a temporary solution is currently blocking the access to Ma'aleh Adumim, until a decision is made. In another area, three kilometers long, in the Sheikh Sa'ad area in southeastern Jerusalem, Border Police patrols have been stepped up in an effort to intercept any attempts to cross into Israel.
In the case of Beit Ikhsa, northwest of Jerusalem, near Ramot, the Supreme Court ordered that the fence bypass it.
The Etzion Bloc has experienced significant delays in construction. Work is due to begin on the northern part of the route, a five-kilometer stretch from the roadblock near the tunnels close to Bethlehem, southward.
An additional 37-kilometer section in the area is waiting for a Supreme Court decision.
Between Jaba and Tarkumiyah (west of Hebron), there are 20 kilometers without a complete fence, which is scheduled for completion by August. Between Tarkumiyah and Metzudat Yehuda the fence has been completed except for 13 kilometers from the area of Eshkolot. A two-kilometer gap along the Green Line is being protected with reinforced IDF patrols.
In July work will commence on the southeastern edge of the route, 27 kilometers between Metzudat Yehuda and Mount Holed. A central issue left unresolved, and which depends in great part on political decisions and the extent of U.S. opposition, are the "fingers" in Ariel and Karnei Shomron. In July, nine kilometers of the barrier surrounding Ariel are scheduled for completion but approval for the construction of the 95-kilometer section around the "finger" has still not been approved.
A senior IDF source told Haaretz that it is difficult to estimate accurately when the work will be completed because much of the route still requires the approval of the Supreme Court. According to the same source, the fence could be finished no sooner than the second half of 2007. By the end of 2006, 446 kilometers of the fence are expected to be completed.
The same source rejected criticism of the Supreme Court for alleged delays in the decisions on the route of the fence.
"Those with criticism are not informed of the facts," he said. "The justices delve deep into the issues and these are decisions that take time... We also prefer that the evaluation of the route in court be complete, so that we will not have to move it later," he added.
The Shin Bet security service attributes a great deal of importance to the fence, and points to the drop in suicide bombings inside the Green Line from a high of 55 in 2002, to six in 2005.
Vehicle crossings, and particularly the superficial checks of cars with Israeli license plates, are a major weakness of the fence.
The estimated cost of the fence currently stands at NIS 10 billion, twice as much as originally planned. The average cost of a single kilometer of fence is NIS 11 million. This does not include other infrastructure costs necessary to allow daily life to continue such as alternate roads, overpasses and gates.
A total of NIS six billion was allotted for these expenses for the entire fence, NIS one billion of which has been spent.
The Ministry of Finance has stood by its commitment to guarantee the flow of funding for the fence.
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A section of the separation fence seen through a security barrier near the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya. (AP) |
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Now we can send our Kids to school and Kindergartn without daily fear they would killed by terror. Maybe someday the palastians are ready for a change, for peace, not for Hamas.
Here we go again,stolen land,from whom? I recall that Messaoud has written before with the stolen land tale,I think he said it belonged to his grandfather, so again I say show us the details as shown in the Land Registry. If it's there he can have it back
Gladwyn is nicer though, don't you think.
Sounds like Israel's fence builders are like the guys who build freeways here in Houston. The US could defeat Germany and Japan in 3-3/4 year, but it takes 7 to build an intersection here.
"Build the fence along the river of egypt and along the euphrates!" - Cynthia Jones You think Israel should attack all the nations necessary to achieve your dream?
John, when talking about Israel and its neighbours, one must be careful with the use of Western terms like 'illegally colonized' or 'infringe on rights'. In the Arab/Muslim world, the ONLY known way to rule over the land is pressure, military force and/or conquest. Syria (Lebanon), Morocco (Sahara), Iraq (Kuwait), Sudan, Yemen are just a few examples of that method. In addition, the Arab/Muslim world knows no 'civil rights' as such. They do not exist in ANY country. Must I really explain? I hope not. The first and so far ONLY exception to this awful and insecure situation is Israel which has succesfully introduced democratic representation for all of its citizens. Do you seriously want to accuse the Israeli's of 'colonizing' and 'infringing'?
The PLO was formed in 1964 with the express purpose of liberating "palestine". The Charter was written before the '67 war. Article 24: This Organization does not exercise any territorial sovereignty over the West Bank in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, on the Gaza Strip or in the Himmah Area. You base your premise on a post '67 revisionist narrative that pretends Gaza and the West Bank were in the hands of "palestinians" when in fact it was held by Egypt and Jordan, a fact the PLO recognized.
John, "It would not bring peace right away, but would entitle Israel to peace, unlike the present situation." So was Israel between 1948 and 1967, entitled by the UN and much of the World? And, what happened, what kind of protection the entitlement gave? Why do you expect an "entitlement" would change Israels situation? "To people believing Israel will come out if it, in possession of East Jerusalem: dream on..." To like you believing Israel will come out of it, in possesion of such an "entitlement": don't dream, you do it too often, start to improve yur logic.
Howdy Messaoud; The claim of "apartheid" only works for single countries so unless the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are parts of the State of Israel, then you are using the wrong word. Try "separation" instead. The land being used to build the security barrier is not being "stolen" by anybody. It is being built on public land or requisitioned (with financial compensation) from private owners. It is not being confiscated. Only 3 or 4% of the security barrier is to be a wall; the rest of it will be a fence. The security barrier has already reduced the number of terrorist attacks down to less than 10% of what they used to be in 2002 and that figure should improve as the fence nears completion. The statistics do not support your claim that, "The wall will offer no protection." Walls (such as the Great Wall of China or Hadrian's Wall) served their purpose well and can last for centuries if properly manned and maintained.
"The walls can not stop the missiles. Stop wasting the money on those walls. Move the Arabs to Jordan." I know that you think that this is a really good idea, but the rest of the world (beyond the wall) would call this "ethnic cleansing". Not even the USA would go along with that.
"It would not bring peace right away, but would entitle Israel to peace, unlike the present situation." Wow! John suggests us to trade the territory and thriving Jewish communities ... not for peace, but for the "entitlement to peace". This is something new. Not "Land for peace", but "Land for entitlement to peace", or "Land for "may be there will be peace (and maybe not!)". John, 6 millions that perished in the Holocaust were entitled to live, but this did not save them.
On what base? On the base that the majority of the Palestinians will be too busy building up their own state, once Israel finally makes it possible by removing itself from lands illegally colonized after 1967, including East Jerusalem. It would not bring peace right away, but would entitle Israel to peace, unlike the present situation. I am not saying it is ideal. Ideal would have been when the zionists would have honoured the Balfour declaration, and created a Jewish Homeland that does not infringe the rights of the native population, instead of a would-be Jewish State, that doesn't seem to be able to survive without infringing on the rights of the native population, or of non-jews. To people believing Israel will come out if it, in possession of East Jerusalem: dream on...
The leftists simply cannot grasp that after we surrender everything Yesha, the terrorism will simply spread into the so-called "Israeli Arabs". But then they could not see that importing in 50,000 terrorists in 1993 was a bad idea. Smallanut = Kishalon
Stolen? From whom? The Jordanians?..your momma?.. Wake up, it's not reasonable or justifiable to start numerous wars, and expect that to have a safety net..a "do-over", if you don't like the outcome. Stop ranting and raving about justice..justice my butt. Your predecessors have been the aggressors since Israel's declaration of independence. Just because you lose, doesn't make you the victim or the righteous. You would never conduct yourself according to the way you preach in reality. Just hollow slogans you bellow. As for offering no protection, the statistics say 55-6 in 2005. Sounds like either the Arabs are beginning to reconsider their hatred for the Jews...or more likely, the fence offers a good measure of protection.
Messaoud, your story about 'stolen land' is a lie... I think you even know it. Here goes again, for the record: during the Ottoman Turkish period, most of the land (more than 80%) was STATE PROPERTY. Under British rule (1917-1947), this legal situation remained unchanged. When the independent State of Israel was founded in 1948, it simply became the new owner of the ground it is sitting on. It is just too bad that the Arabs did NOT create an independent state when this was possible for them, back in 1948. But until the day they do so, they do NOT own any land, nor do they have any natural right to it. Justice will 'naturally' happen for the Arabs when they themselves will do the right thing. The war between Fatah and Hamas is not right. Nor, of course, are the random attacks against Israeli citizens and defense personnel. When you continue to do things which are not right, nobody will ever agree to give you land of your own. Stop the killing!
Along the true borders of Israel. (See the Bible).
Maybe Israel should use customs collected to pay the PA share of the security fence.
A wall built on stolen land and on once fertile farms and villagers, is bound to fall. What takes years and billions to build, will only take minutes to destroy. That wall of shame will, one day, fall. It is inevitable. The wall will offer no protection. The only protection comes NATURALLY when justice is restored.
He actually believes that withdrawal to the defunct Green Line will bring peace! On what do you base this belief, John? On the Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, the PFLP, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade of Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah, which reject the existence of a Jewish state? On the past record of the Palestinians before 1967 when the Green Line was Israel's border? On the demand of the Palestinians for "right of return" to Haifa, Acre, Ramleh, etc. which would effectively destroy Israel, which would then become just another Arab State? Your fond hope is not based on any reality.
It can't be because we can not have a diplomatic relationship with a country separated from us by WALL not by normal borders like all countries do. We can not have contacts with our next door country who hates us to death. I wouldn't like to buy a products from a country who show their hate by having a wall next to our doors. Why should we benefiting them while at the same time they are not benefiting us? Its fine by me, make a complet wall along the borders and no entery crossing between us. Erez crossing should be walled and Qalandia. People who wants to enter Palestine from Israel should go Egypt and enter from Rafah border and same thing from Jordan to West Bank.
They are the government of Palestine. Israel does not exist and has no borders.
People will love the palestinians so much and every time other people from all the world see this occupation fence they will love the pales more than ever before.
Howdy Daniel; Although the security barrier won't stop rockets or mortar rounds, it will stop 99% of all ground terrorist attacks, consolidate Israel?s defenses, physically separate the two hostile peoples, define a de-facto border, and leave 92% of the West Bank and all of the Gaza Strip for a futuristic ?Islamic Republic of Palestine?. The biggest threat to Israeli security is terrorist infiltration not rockets. Rockets will have to be countered by other means like artillery and air strikes. 11 billion NIS is a cheap price to pay to neutralize the Palestinians' military options plus it puts Israel in a good negotiating position after the Palestinians wake up to the fact that the Green Line never was, is not now, and never will be the border. The only drawback is that the fence won't be internationally recognized as the border because it won't be bilaterally agreed to, but maybe it will be (with modifications) in another 58 years or so.
The settlements deep in the heart of the West Bank, such as Hebron, Talmon, Bethel, Tappuach, where all the messianic zealots live, do not serve Israel's interests and cost Israel dearly in terms of human life, money spent on their construction and defense, mroal integrity and demographics. It is therefore good that they remain outside the fence, and they must be evacuated - or their inhabitants left to fend for themselves, if they refuse to go peacably. Ariel presents a problem; it's deep in the West Bank, on the central mountainous ridge. It's a relatively large town. I say keep it until any final negotiations with the Palestinians; then it's expendable.
And any other illegal Israeli colony.
If the fence were to be built along the Green Line, then almost all the new neighborhoods of Jerusalem built since 1967 would be outside it. No Israeli government, even one headed by Yossi Sarid, is going to do that. If the fence were built along the Green Line, then the main road from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem, Route 1, would be closed off, just as itr was from 1948 to 1967. No Israeli government is going to do that either. If the fence were built along the Green Line, the thin belly of Israel at its center would bew even more vulnerable to Arab attack, and so the settlements east of the defunct Green Line in central Israel must be kept. If the fence were built along the Green Line, the Etzion Bloc south of Jerusalem, which defends Jerusalem from the South, and which was built up by Zionist settlement, both religious and secualatm bewfore 1948, would have to be evacuated, and no Israeli government is going to do that. Same goes for ma'aleh Edumim, which protects J'lem to the NE.
Why should the government in Israel will spend that much money for the rest of the wall, since it is so clear that the Jordanian monarch soon or late will overthrow by majority of Palestinian with support of minority extreme fanaticisms which they don't like their majesty. How will be possible two Palestinians state, one Jordan and the other one W.B,and what about Israel security in future? The walls can not stop the missiles. Stop wasting the money on those walls. Move the Arabs to Jordan.
The Israelite property line in the North extends "Beyond Jordan". Don't forget that either.
The Israelite property line in the North extends "Beyond Jordan". Don't forget that either.
I agree totally, and their/our property line goes to the Jordan River, so get the trespassers back over into Jordan by noon tomorrow and build the fence along the River. The Balfour Declaration guaranteed the trespasser's civil liberties, but civil liberties can only attain in the long run to law abiding people. These trespassers have been involved in lawlessness from the beginning.
Your Eretz Yisrael doesn't include marat hamachpela, or migdal david , or hakotel, or kever Yoseph. Why the green line, why not partition line ? What makes the green line a gvul? Had the combined arab armies won in '48 when they attacked Israel, what would have happened to "occupied Israel"?
They couldn't have done it without him, but when the townsfolk found out he had framed and drawn a school teacher into his web, that was the end of it. In most cases, fences make for good neighbors, BUT NOT ALWAYS. :):):) JI 5-16-06.
The interpolations in Daniel notwithstanding, this is one of the most important books in the Bible. Its main lesson for Jews is that the office of Viceroy can mean the difference between success and failure. See also Joseph in Egypt. See also the fall of the Judean Kingdom in part for want of a Viceroy--now lets see, could that have been from either Joseph/Ephraim or Benjamin? Perhaps Yehuda wanted too much for themselves, high taxes, high offices and all? Well, anyway--EE is really T cuz High Office told me so! :):):) JI 5-16-06. Love and history.
I am always amazed at how the Israeli Supreme Ct is allowed to decide what is and what is not reasonable when it comes to the fence's route. In the US we would never allow such things. These are political and military decisions. There is justification for them that can justify hardship of the Palestinians. That should be the extent of the court's decision making authority. To have it weigh justification of the fence route vs. economic hardship to the Palestinians seriously inhibits the government's ability to make decisions, especially during a time of war. I know Israelis like to consider themselves the social protectors of the world. In this case I think they are going way too far.
Anybody who reads my posts knows I love Eretz Israel. I want our motherland to be secure and free from baby-killing terrorists. Israel, you have every right in the world to build the security fence. But build it on your own property.
Fences do not keep out missiles. We have a Goliath that wants to erase us! David, let's get some smooth stones ready for that giant with the fence money!