Israel's fence of peace

Some claim that the fence is an Israeli attempt to annex part of the West Bank. This is a bizarre accusation. It has been Israel's policy in the past 36 years not to annex the territories. Suggesting that Israel is now attempting to change that policy through such partial measures is absurd.

Every Palestinian living in the Occupied Territories has suffered under the severe movement restrictions imposed by the Israeli army in the past three years. The impact on children has, however, been particularly severe.

Closures and curfews have prevented children from attending classes for prolonged periods, with inevitable consequences for their education and future personal and professional development prospects. With more than half the Palestinian population now living below the poverty line, there is also growing evidence of malnutrition in young children. And as impoverished families seek all possible means of adding to household income, child labour is reported to have increased.

Movement restrictions also prevent access to healthcare. As a result of stringently enforced closures and blockades, several women, on their way to hospital to give birth, have been forced to give birth at checkpoints, on the road, or at home. At least 10 babies have died as a result.
http://web.amnesty.org/pages/isr-201103-action-eng

A report, posted Tuesday on a United Nations website, says only 11 percent of the planned 687 kilometer (430 mile) security fence will actually follow the "Green Line" between Israel and the West Bank.

"Approximately 680,000 - 30 percent of the Palestinian population in the West Bank - will be directly harmed by the wall," the report states.

Israel says the barrier is necessary to keep out the suicide bombers who have claimed the lives of hundreds of Israelis over the past three years, while the Palestinians call it an attempt to pre-determine the border ahead of any final peace agreement.

The planned path for the barrier, also designed to protect Israel's international airport from rocket attacks, would trap at least 274,000 Palestinians between the fence and Israel, according to the UN report.
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1068525556100&p=1008596981749

Most of the barrier will be a chain-link type fence similar to those used all over the United States combined with underground and long-range sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles, trenches, landmines and guard paths. Manned checkpoints will constitute the only way to travel back and forth through the fence. The barrier is altogether about 160 feet wide in most places.
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Peace/fence.html

This is the largest infrastructure project in Israel's history. The cost of the entire fence is approximately $1.6 million per mile and, when completed, is expected to have cost about $1 billion.
http://www.us-israel.org/jsource/Peace/fence.html