Most who from the beginning oppossed the so-called “security fence” argued it was a sham and had nothing to do with security. The Shin Bet itself admitted as much a couple years ago. It’s main intent, like the settlements, is to annex as much of the West Bank as possible before an agreement with the Palestinians. An article by Amos Harel in today’s Ha’aretz, basically concedes these points:
Seven years after construction work began on the West Bank separation fence, the project seems to have run aground. Work has slowed significantly since September 2007, and today, after the state has spent about NIS 9.5 billion, only about 60 percent of the more limited, revised route has been completed.
Harel points out that “[t]he original route, which was inspired by Sharon, was to have effectively annexed about 20 percent of the territory of the West Bank to Israel.” Of course, Israel has always vehemently denied that annexation is the intent. But if security is the purpose, the route should be based on security not territory. Taking the word of the Israeli government at face value (and mindful of international law) the Israeli Supreme Court forced changes in the route, to bring it more in line with the alleged “security” intentions.
One might legitimately ask: if the fence is so vital to Israeli security as its defenders claim, why isn’t the Israeli government making every effort to complete it using a route that won’t run into legal challenges and delays? No rational human being would argue that a 60% completed fence provides any real obstacle to determined attackers. In this case, 60% is not better than nothing!
Money is obviously not the reason this isn’t being done:
IDF Colonel (res.) Shaul Arieli, who has studied the fence issue extensively on behalf of the Council for Peace and Security, told Haaretz in response: “The desire to include more territory within the confines of the fence than is practically possible has resulted in a situation where the settlement blocs are left outside of the fence while other blocs remain vulnerable and do not receive protection. In addition, exorbitant sums of money have been pumped into infrastructure and fences that were supposed to follow a route that was impossible to complete.”
With all the funds available, why didn’t the IDF first quickly build a complete fence that they knew wouldn’t be challenged in court, and then fought to extend it along a route they purportedly felt was better? With all the court rulings and international pressure brought to bare, Harel notes that “the route encompasses only 4.5 percent of West Bank land.” In other words, fortunately the fence has failed miserably to achieve its real goal of annexation. So now, it is effectively being abandoned, a huge white elephant that has given Israel neither peace nor security.
Tags: Israeli Army, Propaganda
