The High Court of Justice on Wednesday rejected two petitions filed by Palestinian villagers and Israeli citizens against the security fence route near the Jewish town of Alfei Menashe.
The court rejected Palestinian claims that the route should be moved away from their homes and lands toward the Green Line, saying the fence will cause "proportionate harm" to their livelihoods.
Previous Ruling
High Court: Dismantle part of fence / Aviram Zino
Judges instruct State to dismantle eastern part of separation fence, aimed at protecting settlement of Tzofim, within six months
The court also rejected a petition by the residents of Alfei Menashe who demanded the route encroach on more Palestinian lands, arguing that its proximity exposed their settlement to the threat of terror attacks from the West Bank.
In 2004, the residents of four Palestinian villages whose homes were to be encircled by the fence and cut off from the rest of the West Bank won a High Court hearing against the fence route.
The court then ordered the army to draft a new route that would not cut off the residents and would give them free access to the West Bank.
In Wednesday's hearing, the court approved a new route that would keep two of the four villages outside the fence and would give the residents of the remaining villages free access to the West Bank through a tunnel.
"The new route significantly reduced the harm to the Palestinian residents," High Court President Dorit Beinish said in her ruling.
Justice Beinish said the new route offered a balanced solution to the security and humanitarian concerns of the state and the Palestinian residents.
RSS
