A "wall" Divide

Introduction

A “Wall” divide. In June of 2002, Israel began the construction of a “Wall” that engulfed parts of the Palestine Territories. Israel’s rationale for building the wall was to protect Israel from attacks brought forth from the Palestinians. After an intense analysis of the situation, it became obviously apparent that the rationale behind the wall’s construction was an effort by Israel to annex Palestinian land and resources by enclosing the major settlement blocks, with only 16% of the wall actually being constructed on the 1967 Green Line. The “Wall,” which was constructed by Israel that engulfed Palestine Territory in and around the eastern part of Jerusalem, is contrary to International Law.

History

The people who observed the dispute over the wall questioned, was it to provide the security that Israel stipulated when the wall was constructed? The wall which was constructed on the West Bank not only engulfed the land and resources, it also engulfed entire Palestinian cities. It destroyed the adjoining of the West Bank and cut off any future states. This series of walls made of razor wire, electrified fences, trenches, and watchtowers with a 30 to 75 yard “buffer zone” at the sides was patrolled by Israeli military.

The point of fact is that Israel’s strategic building of the wall resulted in their annexation of fertile Palestinian agricultural land, groundwater wells, and ten illegal Israeli Jewish-only settlements. Out of fear of being trapped on the Palestinian side of the wall, these Jewish settlers convinced the Israeli government to change the “Wall’s” curving path, to compensate for future phases of the wall and maximize the amount of land necessary for additional Israeli settlements. If this building process is allowed to continue, it would eventually confiscate the largest part of Palestinian land, devastate the agricultural base of the West Bank, and destroy any possibility of a viable Palestinian state (Mair and Long, 2003). Also, only 12% of the land will remain in Palestinian possession according to the pre-1948 Palestine (“The Green Line,” p.29). Completely separating East Jerusalem from the rest of the West Bank will affect Palestinian’s future capital, their religion, cultural, social, and economic centers. Literally, 430,000 Palestinians will be trapped on the Israeli side of the wall.

As the Palestinian economy lay decimated because of the three year Israeli military crackdown against the intifada, the wall was an added blow to their already compromised economy. This was brought about due to the enforced curfews, military destruction, and closures which place movement restrictions on the Palestinian people, their vehicles, and their goods. The “Wall” was an added restrictive force, which has eviscerated the Palestinians assets,