Let's dismantle the fence

[JohnLocke]

Let us dismantle the fence
By Yoel Esteron -- Haaretz
Wednesday, July 7, 2004
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(...)
The fence is tempting. It's as attractive as the slogan: "They are there and we are here." The fence may prevent the next attack for a while -- who can argue with the security experts? Even the High Court unquestioningly accepts the pronouncement of the head of the Israel Defense Forces in the territories. But it exacerbates the Palestinians' hatred and despair. It will create 10 terrorist attacks in place of the attack it prevents.
Life without a fence was terrible, but at least it created a sense of urgency; that we have to do something to stop the killing; to solve the conflict; to make peace. The fence creates an illusion that we can "manage" the conflict instead of resolving it, another dubious invention of recent years.
The Israeli majority has given up. That is the true significance of its indifference toward the fence. It is hiding on the coastal plain, and longing for a little quiet after years of terror. Even the peace camp is willing to make do with little - with a crumb from the High Court. Meanwhile, it is allowing the right to continue the settlement enterprise in the West Bank without interference, a dunam here and a dunam there, and imposing the suffering of the occupation on millions of Palestinians.
Anyone who wants to live without terror, to live in peace, has to oppose the fence. Not when peace, or the messiah, comes. Now. Anyone who supports the fence, or remains silent, cannot console himself that he is supporting a route that is reasonable. Anyone who doesn't oppose the fence is in effect accepting Sharon's fence.
The result will be more and more terror that circumvents the fence; the longer the occupation continues, the more horrible the terror. The fence will not stop it for long, it will only make it more sophisticated and more terrible. Here is an urgent proposal to the agenda for Israelis from the center and leftward: Let's dismantle the fence.
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Read the rest here.
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I may not agree with this totally, but it made me think, so I decided to share it here.

[burrowowl]

1. Mr Sharon

TEAR THIS FENCE DOWN!

[Violet_Crumble]

2. John, the link doesn't work...

I'd like to read the rest of the article, and if I wasn't so goddam lazy today, I'd probably head off to Ha'aretz and search for it myself...

Violet...

[JohnLocke]

3. Fixed.

[Violet_Crumble]

7. Thanks, that was worth reading...

You said you didn't totally agree with it, so am I right in guessing that it's because the article wasn't talking about moving the wall/fence along the Green Line, but was talking about doing away with any fence at all? I think that'd be great if a whole bunch of other stuff happened that would ensure both Israelis and Palestinians can live in safety, but under current conditions and with the leadership of both, that's not likely to happen too soon...

Violet...

[Violet_Crumble]

9. Kick...

[wtmusic]

4. Right on

It didn't work in Germany either

[The Magistrate]

5. An Excellent Article, Mr. Locke

[number6]

6. kick

Let's dismantle the fence..YES

[geek tragedy]

8. I don't agree with its ultimate conclusion, but it is an excellent article

I probably should agree with it, but I'm in the group that has given up on the "peace process." I have no faith in the ability of either side to find a solution.