Posted on 12/08/2003 11:56:25 AM PST by anotherview
Dec. 8, 2003
Money problems delay completion of fence in North
By DAVID RUDGE
Completion of the security fence in the North is being delayed because of the non-transfer of some NIS 380 million, according to senior officials of the Public Committee for the Security Fence for Israel, headed by Maj.-Gen. (res.) Uzi Dayan.
Marc Luria, spokesman for the committee, said that most of the fence, between the Megiddo junction and Beit She'an could have been finished several months ago.
This, he maintained, would have dramatically reduced the serious security alerts in the North last week, because the options of would-be terrorists to infiltrate Israel would have been minimal.
His comments were echoed by Gilboa Regional Council head Danny Atar who said the fence had proved its worth during the height of the security alerts.
Atar said that according to senior security officials with whom he had spoken, the fence had prevented relatively easy access for the terrorists who had intended to carry out a suicide bombing at the Ort Allon comprehensive school in Yokne'am.
"I learned that the terrorists originated from a place from where they could have infiltrated the Green Line in the space of a five minute drive," said Atar.
"Instead, because of the obstacle [of the security fence] they were forced make a detour of 40-50 kilometers to the Beit She'an region where the fence has not yet been completed. "As a result of this, the security forces were able to concentrate on this area where there is a breach in the fence because it has not been finished.
"This already shows that the fence is proving itself, quite apart from the fact that thefts and vandalism of property in the area where the fence is in place have dropped to virtually zero," he said.
Luria noted that a 60 kilometer stretch of the fence from Megiddo to Beit She'an is in the final stages of completion but some NIS 340 million is required, mainly for the purchase and installation of electronic equipment.
Another NIS 40 million is required for construction of the fence for a further 17 km eastwards from Beit She'an to Kibbutz Tirat Zvi near the border with Jordan. He stressed that any delays in completing the fence raised the threat to the lives of civilians.
The Knesset defense appropriations subcommittee, headed by MK Uri Ariel (National Union), is slated to discuss the issue of financing for the security fence and the government's decisions on the matter on Tuesday.
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