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The Security Fence
Talking PointsOctober 07, 2003
Background
- Since September 2000, over 890 people - the proportional equivalent of 38,000 US citizens - have been killed by Palestinian terror attacks. Israel has tried many methods of stopping the violence, but the on-going assault continues with terrorists killing teenagers at dance clubs, families at holiday celebrations, and children on their way home from school. In an effort to protect its citizens – the most important responsibility of any government – the Israeli Government is now building a security fence, from Beit Sh’an in northern Israel to Arad in the south, to prevent Palestinian terrorists from infiltrating Israel’s population centers.
- Only last Saturday, 19 people were killed in a suicide bombing in Haifa. The bomber, who came from Jenin (about 30 miles from Haifa), would not have been able to carry out this horrendous attack if the Fence had been completed.
- There is no political motivation behind building the Fence; the sole purpose of the Fence is to protect the Israeli people from terrorism.
Contributing to Making Israel Safer
- The success of the existing security fence around Gaza proves that security fences greatly contribute to fighting terrorism. Even though Hamas and Islamic Jihad have their headquarters in Gaza, they have been unable to launch any successful suicide attacks from that area.
- The Security Fence along the Seam Zone is not complete, but the finished sections have already begun yielding results. In the past, the city of Hadera and its neighboring areas suffered horrendous suicide bombings. After the construction began on the northern part of the Security Fence, the attacks in Hadera decreased significantly.
Impact on the People
- Past peace agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority have hinged upon the PA working to stop terrorism, which they have failed to do. The terrorists’ actions have voided one agreement after another. Given the Palestinian Authority’s lack of cooperation in fighting terrorism, the Fence will limit the terrorists’ ability to perpetrate their vicious acts inside Israel.
- Israel is closely consulting with the United States to reduce the number of disturbances that the Fence might cause to the day-to-day life of the Palestinian people.
- Opponents of the Fence have incorrectly claimed that Israel is using the Fence to annex territories. The Fence does not change the status or ownership of the nearby areas, nor does it attempt to create future borders. The path of the fence was determined first and foremost by security, and then humanitarian necessities. Only through negotiations will any borders be established. Recent negotiations have failed because of the Palestinian leadership, and no one else should be blamed for it.
- Israel has tried whenever possible to use public and unused lands to build the Fence. In areas where it was necessary to build on private lands, the owners have been offered full compensation for their lands, as well as the opportunity to submit objections. Each objection is carefully reviewed, and in a number of cases, serves as a catalyst to work on a compromise as to the path of the Fence. The owners retain ownership of their property, and are offered compensation for use of their lands.
- Israel is making every effort to ensure that the Security Fence causes as little disruption to daily life as possible given the security situation.
Conclusion
The Fence is first and foremost a security measure. Had negotiations succeeded, there would be no need for a security fence. Israel is now facing an orchestrated attack against its own existence. The Fence is and will be a primary defense measure aimed at saving lives, winning relative quiet for the Israeli people, and preventing the terrorists from achieving their goals of destroying Israel and destabilizing the Middle East.
Additional Resources:
