- JERUSALEM (AFP) - A misunderstanding
is developing between the US administration and the Jewish state over the
construction of the so-called "separation fence" between Israel
and the West Bank, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Thursday.
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- "A misunderstanding is developing with the Americans
on this fence because of ignorance of the specifics of this project,"
Shalom said from Washington, where he met US Secretary of State Colin Powell
on Wednesday.
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- The meeting was designed to prepare the July 29 talks
between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and US President George W.
Bush.
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- "The Palestinians have launched an extensive opinion
campaign against this fence to make believe it will harm their interests,
create facts on the ground and will risk torpedoing the peace process,"
Shalom told military radio.
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- "Quite the contrary, this fence is aimed at preventing
terrorist attacks and attempts to torpedo the peace process," he added.
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- Shalom pointed out that a similar fence already existed
around the Gaza Strip and "foiled most attempts at carrying out attacks".
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- Palestinian prime minister Mahmud Abbas, who is scheduled
to hold talks with Bush on Friday, is expected to set a halt on the construction
of the fence as a condition to kickstart the implementation of the roadmap
for peace.
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- According to the New York Times, Washington will exert
pressure on Israel to halt the project or at least change its route.
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- The fence loosely follows the 1967 Green Line division
between Israel and the West Bank, but it dips deep into occupied Palestinian
territory at several points in order to protect settlements.
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- It also leaves several Palestinian villages cut off from
the rest of the West Bank.
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- The Palestinians accuse Israel of using the fence to
unilaterally determine the borders of a future Palestinian state and of
wanting to "ethnically cleanse" the West Bank with a de facto
annexation of its most fertile regions.
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- Construction of the fence was launched in June 2002.
It is also expected to cut annexed east Jerusalem off from the rest of
the West Bank and a first 145-kilometre (90-mile) section is due for completion
in July.
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