Israel's barrier deepens divide (good photos)

sun-sentinel ^ | Posted January 9 2005 | Tim Collie

[dennisw]

Vast barricade being erected along Israel's border with the Palestinian West Bank is rapidly altering the political, social and economic landscape of a struggle that has defied attempts at peace for a half-century. As Jews and Arabs brace for elections in the Palestinian territories today, the planned withdrawal of Jewish settlers from the Gaza Strip and threats of civil war on both sides, the construction of the barrier is yet another issue that must be resolved for a lasting peace. For Arabs and Muslims around the world, Israel's occupation of Palestinian lands is the central conflict between the Judeo-Christian West and the Islamic world. From their perspective, the wall is a powerful symbol of that domination. But to Israelis, the issue is just as stark -- the security of a tiny, narrow country surrounded by hostile neighbors. The $3 billion, 437-mile phalanx of electronic fences, walls, trenches and patrol roads is the biggest public works project in Israel's history. About one-third of the structure is finished, with completion expected next year. The barricade has strong support among American Jews and Israeli expatriates living in South Florida, one of the largest Jewish communities in the United States, and the source of millions of dollars in annual donations and trade with Israel. Leaders of Israeli settlements in the West Bank regularly make pilgrimages here to raise money for schools, synagogues, medical facilities and other projects in their communities. The image of the Jewish state sealing its borders from an unprecedented wave of terror has galvanized local support. Spurred by the violence, local Jewish leaders launched an organization -- Nefesh B'Nefesh -- that has organized airlifts bringing more than 4,000 North American Jews to Israel. In 2004, immigration from North America to the Jewish state was the highest since 1983.

[peyton randolph]

"Whether it's a fence or a wall, I don't care as long as it works," said Ofer Shtayer, whose son and in-laws were murdered in a terrorist bombing in the city of Haifa in 2003.

Words to literally live by.

[Pro-Bush]

Good pictures, click on the link.

[dennisw]

Altered lives
A Palestinian walks through an unfinished portion of the wall at Abu Dis. The barricade being built along Israel’s border with the West Bank is changing the way of life for people on both sides of the fence.

Vigil
Palestinians gather outside the Church of the Nativity in Ramallah to protest Israel’s holding of prisoners and its expansion of the wall.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mik

 

 

Resentment
Omar Elbaz farms okra next to a 20-foot wall in Qalqilya. The wall has cut his farmland in half. “America is behind all this,” he says. “They give Israel the money, the guns, the tanks to steal our land.”
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

 

Trilingual alert
The sign in Hebrew, English and Arabic warns of “mortal dangers” along the barrier outside the Har Homa settlement in East Jerusalem.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

 

 

Dividing line
The barricade next to Palestinian homes in Abu Dis resembles a wall. In less-populated areas, it’s a fence.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

 

 

Border police
A Palestinian woman halts her progress along the wall at Abu Dis to allow an Israeli patrol to pass.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

 

Defaced
Palestinian women walk past the burned and paint-splattered watch tower near the Qalandia checkpoint in Ramallah.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

 

[dennisw]

I just pasted the photos to this thread. We need a fence/separation Bria on our Mexican border. Israel could give us some good advice on this.

[dennisw]

ping

[Mo1]

The wall project has drawn criticism from European leaders,

If they are so damn concerned about the wall .. then do something about the suicide bombers and stop blaming and attacking Israel for it

[dennisw]

 Fenced in
Complex geography and politics have left Palestinian Hani Amer and his children — May, 7, Shadad, 5, and Isaac, 12 — encircled by Israel’s security barrier.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

Jan. 10, 2005

Sad separation
Ted Plavin, an Orthodox Jew, once shared electricity, a phone line and afternoon tea with his Palestinian neighbor, Hani Amer. Now he can only stare at Amer’s home, which is encircled by three fences, barbed wire and a 20-foot wall. “I can only shout through the fence,” says Plavin, an American-born banker who has lived in Israel since 1973.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

Worried
Hani Amer and his daughter, May, are frustrated at the odd circumstances that have left their house surrounded by the security barrier. He calls it a “cage,” and worries that one of his sons, who tries to climb the fence, might be shot by Israeli soldiers.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

Jan. 10, 2005

Hardly pastoral
In stead of traversing olive groves and open spaces that once surrounded the family home, Isaac Amer and his donkey are hemmed in by fences and security patrols.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

Jan. 10, 2005

Young artist’s view
Hani Amer’s son Isaac, 12, painted this picture of the family’s home, including the barbed wire that makes up part of the barrier surrounding their property.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

Jan. 10, 2005

 

 

 

[dennisw]

About the fence
In heavily populated Jerusalem and Qalqiya, Palestinians say the miles-long sections of 20-foot-high walls symbolize their oppression. Israelis say the fences deter terrorism.
(Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pink Floyd?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dallas59]

Boo Hoo...I'm all torn up about it. Poor Pals...can't seem to get a break.
(Sarcasm off)

[PJBlogger]

Benjamin Netanyahu, in a very good interview yesterday with Bill O'Reilly,said that since the fence wall went up,terrorist incidents are down 90%. He expects they will be down 98% when the wall is finished.

The French, and other "enlightened" Europeans had a hissy fot over the wall, and roundly condemned Israel, and of course, the US for supporting it.

[Mo1]

You forget to post this one from that article

Suicide bombing Police, army and emergency officials secure the scene in Beer Sheva, Israel, where suicide bombers attacked two buses near each other, killing at least 15 people and injuring many others. (Sun-Sentinel/Mike Stocker)

[risk]

Do we have any cost figures for Israel's walls, as in the median price per unit of length built, and the median cost of unit/maintained?

[Lazamataz]

I would prefer, instead of a wall to keep Pali's out, if they had a wall to keep them confined.

[Pro-Bush]

confined=prisoners

[Lazamataz]

My point.

[Pro-Bush]

Exactly.

[DTogo]

Ditto, we need the same thing with Mexico!

[endthematrix]

Re: burned and paint-splattered watch tower

Wonder how it got that way? Hopefully, it's reinforced and RPG protected!

[endthematrix]

Strange western graffiti for an Arab culture. I'm confident Hamas doesn't listen to Roger Waters or know 1960 American counterculture catch phases.