r
.11
This eel
Analysis
Build'
Bloc
proposes surrounding it with large no-
entry zones.
Still, a formal decision on this last sec-
tor of the fence's route is still pending,
Jerusalem
and many in Israel are losing patience.
' Israel and the
Even President Moshe Katsav, in a rare
Palestinians seemingly on
comment on a political issue, called for
the brink of a new round of
•
acceleration of work on the fence, which
terrorism and response, calls
he described as "essential for saving Israeli
for the speedy completion of the barrier
lives."
between Israel and the West Bank are
Finance Minister
growing.
Benjamin Netanyahu urged
Last week's-Palestinian
Sharon to declare work on
attacks in Jerusalem and cen-
the fence "a national project"
tral Israel, along with Israel's
and complete it within six
targeted killings of Hamas
months. And despite this
leaders and its threat to expel
week's across-the-board
Palestinian Authority President
budget cuts, Netanyahu says
Yasser Arafat, have created a
he will see to it that whatev-
sense of renewed urgency on
er money is needed for com-
the security fence.
pleting the fence will be
To protect Israeli citizens
made available.
against future bombers, politi-
For their part, opposition
cians and pundits are clamor-
politicians and pundits have
ing for completion of the
been scathing over the slow
fence's final and longest sector:
progress. Former Labor Party
from central Israel, through
leader Amram Mitzna argues
Jerusalem and around the
that if the government
southern part of the West
intends to target Hamas
Bank. Under pressure, Israeli
leaders, it should first finish
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
building the fence to protect
says he intends to get the cabi-
Israelis against the inevitable
net to authorize plans for con-
terrorist responses. He
struction of a "large sector" of
reproaches the government
the fence soon.
for not building it faster and
But skeptics charge that
charges that many Israelis
Sharon is still using a contro-
have died unnecessarily as a
versy over whether or not the
A section of a security wall Israel is building around the West Bank city' of Tulkarm is set into place.
result.
fence should go around the West Tulkarm is roughly six miles from Netanya, which has suffered many Palestinian terror attacks.
In an angry column in
Bank city of Ariel to delay work
Israel's daily Ma'ariv newspa-
on a project he really has no
per, veteran pundit Dan
intention of finishing.
The first section of the fence, 77 miles from the
Mar it took this argument further, calling for a
Some in Sharon's Likud Party object to the fence
Arab village of Salem in the north to Elkana in cen-
commission of inquiry into the delay. The govern-
because they fear it will establish a de facto border
tral Israel, was completed in late July. Work is pro-
ment, he suggested, was guilty of criminal negli-
between a future Palestinian state and Israel, and it
ceeding on the second northern section, from Salem
gence, "because it knew its incompetence would lead
will not incorporate many Jewish settlements.
toward the Jordan River. But no decision has yet
to many Israeli deaths."
Sharon aides respond to charges that Sharon does-
been taken on the route, the funding or the work on
Despite Sharon's latest commitment to complete
n't want the fence completed by saying that though
the remaining 150-mile southern section.
the fence, Uzi Dayan, chairman of the Public
the prime minister may have had reservations in the
For months, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has
Council for a Security Fence for Israel, is skeptical.
past about the barrier — a combination of fencing,
been
pressing strongly for the inclusion of Ariel, a
He maintains that Sharon doesn't really intend to
barbed wire and concrete wall — now he is deter-
Jewish city of 13,000 about 12 miles inside the West
finish the job, because he recognizes the likely result:
mined to complete it as quickly as possible.
Bank. But the American administration remains
Israel withdrawing unilaterally from the West Bank,
firmly opposed, arguing that the Ariel route would
which he thinks will be perceived as weakness and
take in too much West Bank territory.
De Facto Border
invite more terrorism.
This week, Sharon finally decided to leave Ariel
If so, analysts say, a completed barrier will do more
out. But to prevent the impression that he is ready to
than just provide security. It will accelerate a process
cede the city, the prime minister suggested leaving a
Israel Strategies
of separation between Israelis and Palestinians, lead-
gap in the fence opposite Ariel so it won't appear to
But for Dayan and many leading Israeli politicians,
ing inevitably to the two-state solution the parties so
be on the "wrong side." As for the city's security, he
unilateral separation from the Palestinians is Israel's
far have failed to reach through negotiation.
LESLIE SUSSER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
IV
di
Pressure mounts to complete Israeli barrier
in wake of new round
of terror and retaliation.
•
,
'
•!
J11*
9/19
2003
19