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'High Court delaying fence'
Prime Minister Sharon slams top court for slowing down construction of West Bank security fence, says judges employ proportionality test improperly. High Court currently facing 28 petitions against fence
By Ilan Marciano
JERUSALEM - High Court judges are to blame for delays in construction of the West Bank security fence, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said during a Likud faction meeting Monday.
Sharon also criticized the flurry of petitions submitted to the High Court of Justice by barrier opponents.
"You build a fence, even in a place that isn't problematic, and a minute later there's a petition," he said.
In most cases, delays in construction are not a result of financial difficulties, Sharon said, but rather, an improper utilization of the proportionality test by judges.
Knesset Constitution Committee Chairman Michael Eitan expressed amazement at Sharon's remarks, and wondered whether the court is the one to "determine proportionality in security matters."
Likud Knesset Member Gideon Saar proposed that the fence be built in locations that are less controversial, but Sharon said the question would end up before the court regardless.
'Settlers feel rejected'
Meanwhile, in what appeared to be a reconciliatory message to settlers, Sharon spoke of the settlements' contribution to the Greater Israel dream, which he conceded was not fully realized.
Still, settlers' efforts were not useless, he said, and noted that Israel would not be in control of Rachel's Tomb and the Tomb of the Patriarchs otherwise.
"In every generation there was a group that led the way. In the last generation, it was the settlers who led the way, and that's why the crisis is very difficult," he said.
However, Sharon did concede the settlers are currently feeling rejected.
"That's a dangerous thing," he said
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