(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) David Makovsky and Anna Hartman - The Israeli cabinet approved modified routing of the security fence, prompted by an Israeli supreme court decision last summer made to avert Palestinian hardship. The changes include: (1) revised routing to bring the fence closer to the "green line" (pre-1967 boundaries); (2) the elimination of all fence routes where Palestinians would have been completely encircled by the security fence; (3) the addition of the Maale Adumim settlement bloc; and (4) final authorization of fence routing near the Etzion bloc. The 2003 fence route was scheduled to encompass 16% of West Bank land. The new route will put 5% of the West Bank on the "Israeli" side of the fence, that will include only 5,400 Palestinians. The amended fence will serve not as a catalyst to impede a two-state solution, but rather to facilitate such an outcome.
2005-03-04 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive