Karama.org

The Wall

wall pic 1

In June 2002 the Israeli government decided to build a Wall in the northern West Bank districts. But soon the range of the wall was being extended, so that now the whole border between Israel and the Palestinian Territory is divided by a “Security Barrier” which consists of a 50 m wide buffer zone, barbed-wire fence systems or in some parts an 8 meter (25f feet) high solid grey concrete wall. Israel claims that the Barrier is a necessary means to guarantee the safety of the Israeli citizens, for it protects them of terrorist attacks. Similar protection measurements in Gaza however did not prevent this, since the only two suicide bombers up to the second Intifada entered Israel from the Gaza Strip, despite the erection of a wall there in 1994. This leaves an ambiguous feeling about the efficiency of these kinds of protection measurements. Nevertheless, Israel reports a measurable decline in violence against Israeli citizens since the construction of the wall began.
For the Palestinian people the Wall completely destroys all continuity of life in the region, for it zigzags mainly within the West Bank, turning the Palestinian territories into a kind of mosaic in which villages, families and crops become separated and which leaves many people cut off from medical care, employment and education.
The existence of more than 78 Palestinian villages is threatened and 280,000 Palestinians (who equal 12% of the Palestinian population) are being separated from their land by the wall.
More than six hundred Palestinian homes have been demolished or torn down for the construction of the wall. The fact that 80% of the wall is located within Palestinian territory and that it de facto annexes 46% of the West Bank (and de facto 90% (!) of Jerusalem district), gave it the byname the “Apartheid Wall”.
With the unilateral demarcation of a new border, the construction of the wall and the corresponding destruction of civil houses, Israel violates international laws in many aspects.
The wall is clearly illegal according to international human rights law and to international humanitarian law (IHL). A ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), presented on the 9th July 2004, came to the same conclusion, as it states that “the construction of the wall being built by Israel, (…) and its associated régime, are contrary to international law.” Israel however has explicitly declared that it will not accept any ruling of the ICJ concerning the wall whatsoever.
Further the ICJ states that “all States are under an obligation not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by such construction.”
But the international community has failed to condemn the wall. Foreign Ministers from various European countries have announced their concerns, but no unique condemntion or any concrete steps following the ICJ ruling have been made by the European Union.
The USA went even further by giving Israel secured guarantees that they will veto any action by the UN Security Council to enforce the ICJ opinion.
Protestors against the wall from all over the world gather to show their support for the Palestinian people and to raise international awareness of the issue. Weekly nonviolent demonstrations are held to fight for a stop of the wall. Just like the former wall in Berlin, the wall in the West Bank has become an important means of communication with the outside world. Professional artists, peace activists, tourists and Palestinians alike have decorated many parts of the wall with sad, angry and sometimes even ironic statements and pictures that reflect the hope of the people that the Wall will be tumbling down soon.
Israel confirms that the wall should be understood as a temporary means and that it will be torn down as soon as the security situation allows it. Critics however doubt the sincerity of that statement and reason that it is very unlikely for Israel to pay an amount up to US$ 2 billion for a construction that is not meant to last for future generations to come.

waLL PIC 2 wall pic 3