Israeli Cabinet Approves Extension of Security Barrier, but With Gaps

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGA5H0Q99LD.html

Israeli Cabinet Approves Extension of Security Barrier, but With Gaps
By Gavin Rabinowitz Associated Press Writer

JERUSALEM (AP) - Israel's Cabinet on Wednesday approved an extension of a security barrier that would swing around Jewish settlements deep in the West Bank, but would have large gaps for now to address U.S. concerns, Israeli media said. A barrier would be built east of Ariel - with 18,000 residents the second largest settlement in the West Bank - but would not immediately be connected to the main security fence which runs further west, closer to Israel.

Palestinian officials demanded that the United States stop the construction. "This (the barrier) is a deliberate attempt by the Israeli government to sabotage President Bush's vision of a two-state solution, to undermine the peace process and to destroy the road map" peace plan, said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat.
The United States wants the barrier to run close to the Green Line, the frontier between Israel and the West Bank before the 1967 Mideast war. The Bush administration has said it might deduct some of the construction cost for the barrier from $9 billion in U.S. loan guarantees to Israel. However, on Tuesday the State Department said it had no immediate plans to cut the guarantees.
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The Israeli Cabinet voted 18-4, with one abstention, Wednesday on the next segments of the security barrier.About one-fourth of the barrier has already been built in the northern West Bank. In some parts, it runs close to Israel. However, in other areas, the barrier dips further into the West Bank, isolating several Palestinian villages and cutting residents off from their land. The most contested issue in planning the next segment was whether the barrier would incorporate Ariel, with 18,000 residents the second largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank. Including Ariel on the "Israeli" side would mean the barrier will cut deep into areas the Palestinians claim for a future state.

The Cabinet approved a compromise backed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who hopes to appease both the United States and his hardline constituents. Under the plan, the barrier would run east of Ariel, but would not be connected for now to the main security fence running further to the west, closer to Israel. The open sections would be patrolled by soldiers. "Certainly it (the barrier) has to pass east of Ariel, but in a manner that will not antagonize the (Palestinian) population of the territories and will be in coordination with the agreements we have with the U.S. government," Vice Premier Ehud Olmert said before entering the Cabinet meeting.

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the current Israelli government does NOT want peace and chaos and conflict seem to be what they want in the ME. It's not about security. They can see and the facts bear out that nothing they do can stop Palestinian resistence against Israeli occupation. The last two bombs blew up INSIDE Israeli territory with some of the most sophisticated and barbaric security measures in place.

The new 45-kilometer (28-mile) section would begin at the settlement of Elkana in the north of the West Bank and stretch to the Ofer military base, near Jerusalem

those who ignore history....

So kudos to him, but he surely knows that this plan is utter bullshit.

Israel had three plans:

1. Build the barrier east of Ari'el
2. Build the barrier west of Ari'el, but enclose the settlement with separate fences.
3. Build a section of the barrier east of Ari'el, continue with the western section and link the two up later.

Israel has picked (3), while pretending it has picked (2).

Nobody has called them on it because (2) was never reported in the United States (with one exception: Rabinowitz). (3) is a new plan, only recently decided upon by the IDF in consultation with the government. (1) is fucking awful which everybody knew about already.

More good cop, bad cop from Sharon and the GOI. :eyes:

why are U.S. journalists such cowards? (particularly in regards to coverage of issues involving Israel and Palestine)

The simple reason:

They just don't want the hassle.

There is a well organised smear network in place in the United States which means that if you dare to print/say anything vaguely against the grain of the so-called "pro-Israel" line, you get a ton of bricks down on your head. Nobody wants that. It is no secret where the HQ's of this campaign are based: real world organisations like AIPAC, JDL, ADL, weblogs like LGF, Internet Haganah, email lists like HonestReporting, magazines like TNR, the op-ed pages of the NYT, WP etc.

All of those constitute an echo chamber, and most have an extremely regimented audience, so it is easy for them to not only control a message but also propagate it. It doesn't matter whether the message is "true" or not (whatever "true" means in a literal sense).

Now, this applies exponentially since the Democractic opposition is also a bunch of uber Hawks regarding Israel. Essentially, what gain is there for a journalist when both parties are united in virtually unanimous support for Israeli policies? It is cowardice, but also understandable. Nobody wants to lose their job over Israel, do they?

BTW I wouldn't say just U.S. journalists are cowards either. For instance, plan (2) above which I noted was not reported in any english language publication, period. That means the British press too. The closest thing to it was a map detailing the barrier published in The Independent about a month or so ago. Interestingly, that map was only in the print version and all mention of it was removed from the website of that paper. Whether that was deliberate or not, who knows.

I'd be interested in knowing what you think about the matter. :)

The new 42-km (26-mile) section of the barrier is an addition to the 90 miles now built (10 miles around Jerusalem plus 80 miles following the "green line more or less in the North).

It is a new fact on the ground, but as far as I can see, the extra 26 miles does not end "the two state solution" - Even the BBC admitted that adjustments to the Green Line are proper and to be expected in any final settlement - and talks approvingly of the Taba maps -

So who is saying "the end" over at the BBC - or for that matter in the PA who has not said "the end" befor?

It doesnt end the two state solution, just makes it even more difficult.

"In late September, the UN issued a report which condemned the barrier as illegal and tantamount to "an unlawful act of annexation".

In his report for the UN Commission on Human Rights, John Dugard, a South African law professor, warned that about 210,000 Palestinians living in the area between the wall and Israel would be cut off from social services, schools and places of work.

"This is likely to lead to a new generation of refugees or internally displaced people," he said.

Israel has dismissed the UN report as "one-sided, highly politicised and biased".
(from http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3111159.stm )


Like firing missiles into residential areas doesnt end the roadmap but does make it much more difficult.

Seems the US Gov and the U.S. Agency for International Development and American philanthropies give money but NGO's in PA refuse not to support terrorism with the money - perhaps the NGO's - including our UN Dugard fellow - are indeed anti-Israel?




http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2003/september/09_30_2.html

Palestinian non-government organizations have refused to sign a U.S.-sponsored commitment that they will not transfer funds to individuals or groups that engage in attacks against Israeli civilians.

Palestinian sources said social welfare groups within the Palestinian Authority as well as independent NGOs have organized a campaign against signing a so-called anti-terror clause. The sources said the United States has demanded that Palestinian social welfare groups sign a commitment that they will not transfer money to those deemed terrorists.

So far, the sources said, about 30 NGOs have declared that they would not sign the anti-terror commitment. Many of the groups obtain funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development and American philanthropies.

Earlier this month, representatives of 29 NGOs in the area of the West Bank city of Bethlehem met and issued a statement that they would not cooperate with a U.S. AID demand not to transfer funding to any individual or group deemed terrorist. The meeting was attended by PA security and intelligence officials. The Interior Ministry regulates NGOs in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

...around Ariel Sharon

Expect the actual story to be reported in a few hours.

I couldn't comment.

Personally I believe a fence east of Ari'el ends any chance for an independent Palestinian state, but not a "state", as such. You have to be careful with the terminology.