The problem is that if illegal workers can get past the fence so easily then so could Palestinian terrorists, and that undermines the whole point of the fence. However, the truth is that terrorists don't need to cut the wire, they can simply go around the fence. For example, there is no fence near Beit Shemesh. This is not WikiLeaks - I'm not giving away state secrets. I assume that most Palestinians know exactly where the fence is built and where it is not, but unfortunately, most Israelis (and our Knesset members ) have no idea. The last map on the Defense Ministry's website shows a gaping hole near Beit Shemesh, but it's hard to say what is accurate, since that map is dated 2006. In addition to a real terrorist threat, there is also the issue of responsibility. If there would be a terrorist attack in northern Israel near Jenin, or in central Israel near Qalqilyah, there would be immediate investigations in the army and the Border Police as to how the perpetrators successfully crossed the security fence, and someone would be held responsible. Those areas have a security fence that works. If an attack happens in a place without a fence, for example near Beit Shemesh, there is no responsibility, there is no border, the Border Police would have no idea where the attackers came from or where they went. Anyone who lives in the Beit Shemesh area is quite aware of the situation. A friend from Ramat Beit Shemesh told me that on Shabbat afternoons he often sees dozens of Palestinians walking through the nearby fields. He was told that since the Border Police has patrols on Saturday night and Sunday morning to catch the Palestinians coming to work in Israel, they come on Saturday afternoon. We all realize that 99% of the Palestinians coming here are not terrorist or criminals, but if these workers can get into Israel, so can the people who want to do us harm. Ms. Hammerman also refers to the fact that the Border Police sometimes turn a blind eye to these laborers entering Israel. I believe that this is partly due to the fact that the fence is not finished - they realize that they cannot stop everyone given their resources, they are too busy. One could only imagine what would happen to a policeman in passport control at Ben-Gurion Airport who would decide to let an entire line of people at passport control enter because the lines were too long. The State of Israel has been building the security fence for eight years and is still not finished. This is mind-boggling given that fact that our current leadership are all strong supporters of the fence. Most of the fence was built while Ariel Sharon was prime minister, Shaul Mofaz was defense minister and Moshe Ya'alon was the IDF chief of staff. All three expressed either outright opposition to the fence, or in the best case, lukewarm support, but were forced to build it because of public opinion. Benjamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak and Gabi Ashkenazi were ardent supporters of the fence during that period. We at Security Fence for Israel met with all three in 2002-3, Bibi as finance minister, Ashkenazi was director general of the defense ministry and Barak a private citizen. They expressed their support and worked hard to make it happen. All three have been quoted in the media repeatedly saying that the security fence has been very effective. But yet, though they are now in positions of power and have been for some time, the building of the fence is still proceeding at a snail's pace. I believe it's time for Bibi to take the lead and make sure the fence is finished during the next 12 months. Let's not wait until a disaster happens. -------- Dr. Marc Luria was a founding member of Security Fence for Israel in 2002.
Monday, 27 December 2010
Netanyahu, finish building the fence
Most Palestinians know exactly where the fence is built, but unfortunately, most Israelis and MKs have no idea.
By Marc Luria http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/netanyahu-finish-building-the-fence-1.333143
In Ilana Hammerman's article, Broken Lives, in the Haaretz Magazine (Dec. 17 ) she writes about Palestinians who work illegally in Israel. She described how they cross into Israel near Hebron at a place where the security fence exists, but for some reason, that part of the fence is not electronic, and they simply cut through the barbed wire and proceed into Israel.
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