- Israel has asked the U.S. to provide official endorsement
of the separation fence route, as part of the "benefits basket"
which is to be provided in exchange for the implementation of Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon's separation plan. This request was submitted as part of an
attempt to satisfy conditions upon which Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
has predicated his support for the separation plan.
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- American support for the fence would not be included
in a letter of guarantees submitted to Israel in exchange for the execution
of the separation plan; instead, the fence endorsement would be exhibited
in a different way. Details of this endorsement arrangement are to be worked
out in talks with the three U.S. envoys - William Burns, Elliot Abrams
and Steve Hadley - who will arrive in Israel tomorrow. The three will also
finalize details for Sharon's meeting in the U.S. with President George
W. Bush on April 14.
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- After accepting an Israeli compromise proposal concerning
the construction of the separation fence, the U.S. government is no longer
lobbying for changes in the barrier's planned route. Apart from the endorsement
discussion, the fence issue has effectively been removed from the agenda
in diplomatic contacts between Jerusalem and Washington. The resolution
of the controversy became apparent during discussions last week between
senior Israeli officials and the three American envoys.
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- The compromise proposal was submitted by Defense Ministry
Director-General Amos Yaron in discussions with Burns, Hadley and Abrams.
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- Under the compromise proposal, the fence route which
was approved by the Sharon government on October 1 2003 would not be altered.
But it would be defined as a "vision" whose construction is to
be done in stages. Problematic areas of the fence which stirred U.S. criticism
will either not be built at present, or will be constructed in a manner
that minimizes inconvenience to Palestinians who live in nearby villages.
The principle which has guided Yaron in mapping out the fence's route has
been to provide security for Israeli citizens who live within the Green
Line, and on settlements in the territories, while not precluding future
diplomatic options. Israeli sources predict that under a permanent status
agreement with the Palestinians, the Ariel bloc settlements would be annexed
to Israel, and so these blocs will then be linked to the separation fence.
As things stand today, however, construction of the fence around the settlement
blocs is not an option due to stiff international pressure, the sources
say.
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- A local fence, not connected at this stage to the long
separation fence, is to be built around the West Bank town of Ariel and
the Immanuel settlement. At Kedumim, settlers object to the construction
of a fence; and no fence is to be built for the time being at Karnei Shomron.
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- U.S. officials oppose the creation of fenced-off "enclaves"
in the Ben-Gurion International Airport area (around the Beit Aryeh settlement),
and along Route 443 (the Jerusalem-Modi'in road). According to the plan
approved on October 1, the fence is to wind around two sides in these areas,
leaving tens of thousands of Palestinians penned inside. Israel has been
sharply criticized for this plan to create a large "holding pen"
for these Palestinian residents.
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- Responding to this criticism, Defense Ministry officials
decided to build a major fence along the western-southern side of the areas,
along the Green Line, and a less imposing fence on the eastern-northern
side of the enclaves. As the construction work proceeds, a fence will run
along the north-east sides, but it will not be continuous, and will thus
not "imprison" the Palestinians.
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- Another change will involve the stretch of the fence
running between Jerusalem and the southern Hebron Hills. The fence is to
be moved closer to the Green Line in this area, so as to minimize burdens
caused to Palestinians.
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- http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/410559.html
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