SAOIRSE32

Someone mentioned Israel’s APARTHEID WALL against the Palestinian people after I posted the videos about Belfast, and I am more than happy to post about a subject close to my heart. In the North of Ireland for decades, resistance to British occupation has been termed ‘terrorism’. I submit that when another country, in this case ISRAEL, occupies land, uproots people, kills citizens, destroys their livelihood, confiscates their property, denies them basic human rights and shoots-to-kill children with impunity, THAT is the real terrorism and it needs NOT to be supported by the United States government in the form of aid to Israel valued at 2.4 BILLION US dollars in 2007 alone. The subject of this post, however, is the APARTHEID WALL Israel is building against the Palestinian people.

‘The Israeli West Bank barrier is a separation barrier being constructed by Israel consisting of a network of fences with vehicle-barrier trenches surrounded by an on average 60 meters wide exclusion area (90%) and up to 8 meters high concrete walls (10%). It is located mainly within the West Bank, partly along the 1949 Armistice line, or “Green Line” between Israel and Jordan which now demarcates the West Bank. As of April 2006 the length of the barrier as approved by the Israeli government is 703 kilometers (436 miles) long. Approximately 58.04% has been constructed, 8.96% is under construction, and construction has not yet begun on 33% of the barrier. The Jerusalem Post reported in July, 2007 that the barrier may not be fully constructed until 2010, seven years after it was originally supposed to be completed.

Opponents assert that the barrier is an illegal attempt to annex Palestinian land under the guise of security, violates international law, has the intent or effect to pre-empt final status negotiations, and severely restricts Palestinians who live nearby, particularly their ability to travel freely within the West Bank and to access work in Israel, thereby undermining their economy.’ [Wikipedia]

Palestinian home demolished in preparation for the wall

Palestinians forced to go through Israeli military checkpoints just to get through daily life

If you would like to read more facts and stories concerning the tragedy this wall is inflicting on the people who are forced to live in its long shadow, please refer to STOP THE WALL. There are many links and reports, including videos, onsite.