An outcome too terrible to imagine

[bemildred]

Discusses the "security" wall, makes some points I
have not seen before.

The first lie is in the title. The so-called
separation fence promises the worn-out and
worried public that the Palestinians, and all
the troubles that contact with them entails,
will be tucked safely behind the fence. We are
on one side, they are on the other, and that's
that. The alignment of the fence will, in
reality, annex much of the West Bank to Israel.
Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians will
still be living west of the fence, on the
Israeli side. Thousands of settlers will be
living east of it. Call it what you will -
separation it ain't.

The second lie is that this fence marks a
border, and that the Palestinian State that
Sharon speaks of will be established east of
it. This is not one fence, but at least two
sets of walls. And while one of them, the
western one, will steal as much Palestinian
land as possible along the Green Line, the
other one, the eastern one, will be annexing
remote settlements. Several other obstacles,
including fences and ditches, will be created
between the two walls. This system will turn
the populated areas of the West Bank into
uncontiguous pens.

---

And the third lie about the wall, again through
the Jerusalem prism: East Jerusalem was the
calmest Palestinian region during the current
intifada. The wall will divide families and
streets and leave us with many people who
have
nothing to lose. This is a giant barrel of
explosives.

Of course this is true of other areas, as well.
And yes, there are places - a few - where the
fence will be built along the Green Line and
will not be annexing any Palestinian population
to Israel, as in the case of Tul Karm and
Qalqilyah. But anyone who believes that at
least there the fence will promise us quiet is
deluding themselves. Gaza is a fascinating case
study for this theory: it is so quiet there
that the Israel Defense Forces repeatedly asks
for permission to invade and the air force
bombs the region time and time again. There is
no need to elaborate on the extent of security
that the fence around Gaza has given the
residents of Sderot and Ashkelon.

Haaretz

[Gimel]

1. Good journalism

The points are worth pondering. So are the alternatives. At some point in the future, the wall itself will become intolerable by all concerned, even defense establishment, and that is good.

[papau]

2. Haaretz is solid - wish we had press like that in the US! :-)

:-)

But the eastern wall is dead - I believe - I hope.

[newyorican]

3. Ha'aretz has it share of problems...

but it's a damn-sight better than the rags that pass for the print media in this country.

Engaging in public self-examination in the US will get you fired these days.