Opinion
Bring down the wall
Eldad Beck
Published: 11.11.09, 00:48
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1. Tha Wall
Zuri ,   Sydney Australia   (11.11.09)
expensive ineffective and in the end will have to come down, instead of building bridges...we are building walls? is this is what going to bring peace with Palis???
2. The issue isn't the wall in itself
Apa ,   US   (11.11.09)
The issue is that it is drawn in such a way so as to expropriate more land and separate Palestinians from their livelihood.
3. Wall of Peace
zznhl   (11.11.09)
"As long as this wall exists, the sides would not be able to get to know each other " They had 50 years to "get to know us" and all they did was blow up rush hour buses and pizza resturants full of kids and women. Enough already with your miss-informed and naive hogwash. Don't you understand that the Palastinians laugh at your ignorance? Why should they pay terrorists when you do their work for free?
4. twisted logic ...end
shama   (11.11.09)
5. Give me a break..
Terry ,   Chicago, IL   (11.11.09)
The Arabs' boycott of the Palestinians far surpasses the sham they've set up when it comes to Israel. While the Palestinian people are trapped and caged, Israelis travel to Egypt and Jordan unhampered. Spare me the melodrama. Oh, and to top it all off, you claim that: "the security fence marks [...] a future border between two nations that do not wish to coexist in one state, but rather, to split their shared land into two separate states. " Says who? The Palestinians have never agreed to this. They have consistently demanded the Right of Return, and even the most extreme of their ideologists stated that they have no qualms about living alongside Jews in a unified state. So please, keep the generalizations to yourself.
6. Eldad Beck is suffering from short term memory loss
Kyle ,   Southpark, CO, USA   (11.11.09)
Before the Israeli security barrier was built, there were terrorist attacks practically every other day! Does this idiot not remember all the bus and cafe bombings from 2000-2004? What does he think prevented more bombings from taking place? Happy thoughts?
7. Comment
Mohammad ,   Jordan   (11.11.09)
The worst kind of a lie is a half truth. I am not sure why the author failed to mention that the route of the barrier substantially deviates from the Green Line into the occupied territories captured by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967. Therefore 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. In a 2004 finding, the International Court of Justice declared that "Israel cannot rely on a right of self‑defence or on a state of necessity in order to preclude the wrongfulness of the construction of the wall. Construction of the barrier is "contrary to international law." In addtion, i think Israel should fully understand that she is not doing "charity" when she gives back the OCCUPIED land to the Palestinians. By adopting the UN resolution 242 as basis of negotiations with Israel, the Palestinians has already made a huge compromise by accepting 20% only from what they consider as their home land. Finally, in relation to what you called "Wall of ostracism" i am sure that you have heared about "The Arab peace initiative" which means normalizing relations between the entire Arab region and Israel, in exchange for a complete withdrawal from the occupied territories. And by the way and just for your info, boycotting Israel is NOT AGAINST THE INTERNATIONAL LAW.
8. the wall keep sucide bombers out.
ghostq   (11.11.09)
take it down they will try to kill you, what is in the drinking water in the ME, every one got short memory. must be the fluoride.
9. This is soooo true!
Veronique ,   Rehovot, Israel   (11.11.09)
Kol Hakavod! People who really want the Palestinians to live in peace and to have their own country, should support Israel and not the Palestinians. The Palestinians are scared of having their own state... because then they won't be able to blame the Israelis anymore for their failure to prosper.
10. A must read right here!
JJ ,   U.S.A.   (11.11.09)
Actually the wall is very vital to the peace process and it will be dismantled. According to Ezekiel 38,39 the wall will be demolished due to a peace agreement and when Israel feels safe and is secure the Arab coalition will come against it with Russia and Iran leading the way.
11. The majority of the Palestinian Arab population support ...
Ron B. ,   Lod   (11.11.09)
The majority of the Palestinian Arab population support the destruction of Israel. Poll after poll shows widespread collective support among the majority of the Palestinian Arab population for the destruction of Israel. In a poll released July 2006 the majority of Palestinian Arabs responded - 77.2% expressed support for the abduction of the Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit and - 60.4% supported the continuation of indiscriminate firing of deadly Qassam rockets into Israeli towns. Ironically, Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention that deals with prohibition of imposing collective punishment on civilian population under occupation, should have been applied by the Goldstone Mission to protect over 1,000,000 innocent men, women, and children in the Israeli towns of Sderot, Ashkelon, and hundreds of smaller communities that are collectively punished day-in and day-out for offences they never personally committed. The Goldstone report ignores this : http://xrl.us/bfq3q7
12. Of Course There Should Be No Fence
Yishai Kohen ,   YeShA, Israel   (11.11.09)
We should not have any fence running right through the middle of OUR land. What we should do is state once and for all that it is OUR land- not the Arabs' land, and anyone who wishes to remain here in OUR land has to do so recognizing that. If they aren't willing to live here in OUR land in peace, then they have to leave and go to their own lands elsewhere.
13. wall or war
Awni ,   KSA   (11.11.09)
any one who want to build wall to protect him self, he build it on his border and his own land, not in his neighbor house, moreover you don't have the right to live and let others die caiming security.
14. To #7
zznhl   (11.11.09)
Hi Mohamed FYI, before Israel "occupied" the west bank it was occupied by Jordan, before them, the British, before them the Ottomans, before them different branches of Islam, before them, the Crusaders, before them, the Romans, greeks, Kingdom of Isreal, and the Caananites and a bunch of others in between. NOWHERE in history is it recorded that a people called the Palastinians existed on any peice of land anywhere in the entire world. So stop quoting international law. If a new state State will exist peopled by a New nation, it will be at the behest and good will of Israel and no one else. Shalom aleynoo and salam alechem
15. Beck should go live in gaza and understand terrorists. Then
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (11.11.09)
maybe he would have something worth writing.
16. #5, Here's your break...
Mea   (11.11.09)
>"and even the most extreme of their ideologists stated that they have no qualms about living alongside Jews in a unified state. " I don't know what planet you are posting from but apparently there's a lack of oxygen. Regarding the quote above, may I suggest you familiarize yourself with the latest version of the proposed "Palestinian Constitution" in which article 27 states the "continuous and ongoing struggle against the zionist enemy which will never cease until they are removed from our land"...? If you cannot choke that down try sliding it down wrapped inside the Hamas Charter, which calls for the elimination of the State of Israel. Or try reading the volumous collection of quotes from the various leaders of Fatah, the PA, and the various thugs , oops excuse me, freedom fighters, who promote martyrdom among child fighters as an honor to Allah. In thw WB and Gaza honor killings of women are on the rise as the population is radicalized--last year 40 plus women were dragged from their homes and stoned or shot to death--is that what you expect from YOUR neighbors? Read the reports, easily found online, regarding the decades old efforts to force Palestinians to stop using martydrom, antisemtiism and revisionist history (including holocaust denial) in textbooks. While you have your google up, check out the Hamas summer camps for kids, where little children put on plays where they murder Jews and do fake martyrdom parades. Will you send YOUR kids there? Or do a search for "Israel bus bombings" and look at the pics of charred remains of over 1500 Israelis dead inside the green line in Israel proper. The Wall is the ONLY method that stopped the bus bombings. If your family is blown to hell tomorrow monring on the way to school, would you demand a wall to keep out the GOVERNMENT SANCTIONED GROUP that issued it? Or would you still be whining for them to become your beloved neighbors? Do all these things, then come back and tell us--people who either live with terror in Israel, or visit Israel regularly, and tell us your naive theory about what Palestinians want. I believe their words, I believe their deeds. I also believe they get a lot of funding from bozos like you in the west, who snot up their hankies over the propaganda of so called "palestinian" arabs neighbors who have never actually set foot outside a London burb. I suggest you BELIEVE what middle eastern Palestinians SAY and believe what they actually DO, rather than carry on living in your little western onclave of dreamtime make believe. The reality IS that to understand the truth of the middle east, you must first visit the middle east and study it--all camps--all viewpoints. But the wisest of all options is this--believe the words and deeds of Palestinians as they speak to the ARAB world. Because what they say there is that they will never recognize Israel's right to exist and will never quit fighting to eliminate Israel. So stop being a putz, read, learn, absorb, accept reality. THAT is the avenue toward peace and until that happens, the strugle goes on, with Israel fighting terorrism alone.
17. Then why are Arab countries erecting them too?
Eric ,   Tel Aviv   (11.11.09)
Just a quick look at wikipedia shows the following 23 countries (and the UN) including Israel have recently built such walls 1 Afghanistan 2 Botswana 3 Brunei 4 People's Republic of China 5 Cyprus 6 Egypt 7 India 8 Iran 9 Iraq 10 Israel 11 Korea 12 Morocco 13 Northern Ireland 14 Pakistan 15 Russia 16 Saudi Arabia 17 South Africa 18 Spain 19 Thailand 20 United Arab Emirates 21 United Nations 22 United States 23 Uzbekistan source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_barrier
18. Pals could easily make Israel remove the wall
JPS ,   Jerusalem   (11.11.09)
All they have to do is declare an end to their policies of attacking Israeli civilians. This means that Hamas and the al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade change their policy and announce publicly (in Arabic) that they will stop sending suicide bombers and rockets. Once they do that and stop the attacks, the Israeli public will be convinced and the wall can come down. However, nobody is going to convince Hamas to do that (they refuse, of course), and nobody's going to change the name of al Aqsa Martyrs to al Aqsa Peace Seekers. The wall, unfortunately, will stay up and do its job of providing security. Land grab? Humbug! Get the Palestinians to stop the bombings and the wall can come down.
19. To #&-glaring ignorance
Andi ,   Israel   (11.11.09)
So what if the Palestinians have accepted UN Resolution 242? so has Israel. The only difference is that the Palestinians only want part of it applied ie for Israel to withdraw. If you actually read the Resolution , it also talks about the need for security also. Israel doesn't need to withdraw until security is assured, and i'm sure glad I have the wall protecting me and my family from suicide bombers. Moreover 242 doesn't demand for Israel to withdraw from ALL of the West Bank. Go and read it.
20. To #14
Mohammad ,   Jordan   (11.11.09)
Shalom zznhl, I am not going to waste my time nor yours to discuss history. But i would like to advice you to read about Palestine in the encyclopedia or wikipedia (unless you consider both as Arab propaganda). FYI, the ancient Jewish kingdom lasted less than 400 years while the Arab/muslims ruled the region for almost 1300 years. I am wondering why you asked me to stop quoting international law? Whats wrong with the international law? Should we all abandon the international law because it does not fit with what Israel wants? Dont you know that UN security council resolution 242 is mandatory?
21. To #19
Mohammad #19 ,   Jordan   (11.11.09)
" Moreover 242 doesn't demand for Israel to withdraw from ALL of the West Bank. Go and read it." That does not change anything because Israel is still occupying the WHOLE west bank, so Israel is still defying the international law! I am wondering why all of you turned a blinded eye on what i mentioned regarding the wall which is the main topic here??!! mmmmm, maybe because its more convenient just to argue for the sake of arguing and ignore the main topic!
22. to #20 that resolution also claim
ghostq   (11.11.09)
that palis will stop violence, well Israel still get rockets. oh and jews axist 5000 years mmm look what saladin the kurd(not arab) in the year 1125 let jew return to jerusalem. go to turkish archaives very interesting indeed. also untill that year Israel was chritian, go look for Richard the lion heart contribution. mmmm you have half information.
23. Mohamed
zznhl   (11.11.09)
"inadmissibility of the acquisition of territory by war and the need to work for a just and lasting peace in the Middle East in which every State in the area can live in security." ..Every state....Palastine was not a state then as it is not now
24. To no #23
Mohammad ,   Jordan   (11.11.09)
Why do you ignore the fact that all current borders in the region has been made by the english mandate. Consequently, all UN resolutions including 242 referred to the nations as it was during the english mandate (when the problem started). If you want to go on with this argument you have to answer the following questions: When did history start in your opinion and why? As you mentioned, the whole region including Palestine/Israel has been conquered by many different nations, so which one of these nations have the right to claim that this peice of land belong to them? What criteria are you using? How about the fact that muslims ruled this area for longer period of time than the Jews? Dont you believe that esablishing a country on the expense of others is wrong?
25. T0 #21 Mohammed. You are wrong
Andi ,   Israel   (11.11.09)
Please read again #19. Israel doesn't need to withdraw from anywhere according to Resolution 242, until security arrangement are satisfied. That is what the negotiations will be about, if they ever get started, after which I am sure Israel will withdraw, as it has proved itself already willing to do. The Palestinians demand land. Israel demands security. Palestinian demands are not more valid than Israeli demands. Your argument is like Israel demanding of the Palestinians that they should give up all weapons, completely demilitarise, and then Israel will be willing to start negotiations. Sound reaonable? Of course not, so why should the Palestinians expect Israel to withdraw form the whole West Bank before even starting negotiations?
26. To #25
Mohammad ,   Jordan   (11.11.09)
"so why should the Palestinians expect Israel to withdraw form the whole West Bank before even starting negotiations?" Do you really believe that signing few papers will make Israel more secure? I am not a Palestinian but i expect Israel to withdraw from the west bank because its simply the right and ethical thing to do. One thing we can be sure of, that is between 1948 and 1967 Israel did not control the west bank, yet she was much more secure than she is now. Occupying people land does not bring security, it complicates the situation and makes Israel less secure in my opinion.
27. Mohamed
zznhl   (11.11.09)
The British did not create Palastine. The West bank of the Jordan river was part of Transjordan. When the Jordanian army invaded Israel in 1948 it was specifically against the UN(Leageue of Nations) partition plan. When they lost that land due to their illegal agression they didn't cry. They set up a military administration as part of the Kingdom of Jordan. and now after 50 years of war we have a peace treaty with them.
28. to #26 than if Israel gets nothing in return
ghostq   (11.11.09)
for filling her end of the deal and jepodizing her civilians than it's no for withdraw. whould you do it no and nobody will.
29. to #26 nearly forgot beween 48
ghostq   (11.11.09)
and 67 jews were slaughterd in jerusalem, there is a jewish brother grave in the old city of jerusalem, mmm you just got short memory. and you should visit to see it, the jews drank rain water cause your country put siege on the city jews had to inprovise on food as well, eating hearbs from the side of the road. mmm arab siege.
30. Bring up the bombers !
Trumpeldor   (11.11.09)
Only lunatics craving for jewish blood would tear the anti terrorist fence. @ 26 Mohammad from Jordan wrote: "One thing we can be sure of, that is between 1948 and 1967 Israel did not control the west bank, yet she was much more secure than she is now." Are you kidding sir ? How may bloody terrorst acts by your fedayins ? CONTLESS ! PS If you are an arab,what are you doing in Eastern Palestine, 1500 kms from your beloved peninsula ?
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