map of Fence partitioning West Bank:
(click on "maps showing Israel's proposed security fence", at: news.bbc.co.uk
This is the first map I've seen, showing the entire proposed route. Notice, the East and West fences meet at Jerusalem, dividing Palestinian territory in the West Bank in two. All the Jordan Valley, including Jericho, is on the Israeli side of the fence. The Ariel salient, which I had thought would also sever Ramallah from Nablus, doesn't extend all the way across. A small portion of the southern suburbs of Jerusalem is left to the Palestinians; the rest, including all the Old City, is Israeli. With the Gaza ghetto, that leaves the Palestinian "state" composed of 3 isolated pieces, which do not connect with each other, or with adjacent Arab nations. The Wall is a de facto annexation of 50-60% of the West Bank.
Christian Zionists like Senator Delay, who just talked to Sharon, ensure that Bush will not be able to put effective pressure on Israel, to prevent this annexation. Bush will issue regular pro forma protests, and the Israelis will ignore him. By the time the Road Map calls for a Palestinian State, the Wall will be finished.
<On the security barrier issue, Mr Bush said: "I would hope in the longer term the fence would be irrelevant. The fence is a sensitive issue, I understand that.">
That doesn't sound like he's serious about stopping the Fence-building, or making any major changes in the route.
At some point, the Palestinians will realize the Road Map is meant only to disarm them, and isn't doing anything to stop the colonization process. Then, the Intifada resumes.
Another crucial point, is that the Wall only works for Israel, if the Palestinians are removed to "their" side of it. So, once it is built, there will be constant pressure (military, economic, legal) to push the non-Jewish population off the annexed land. |
