JERUSALEM – Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz proposed Wednesday to reroute the West Bank security fence near the settlement of Ariel in a way that would ease the lives of Palestinian villagers in the area.
Under the proposed changes, the Palestinians would have an easier time accessing Palestinian towns such as Bethlehem.
Mofaz’s proposal was raised during a meeting called to discuss the fence and attended by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and security officials.
During the session, Sharon accepted Mofaz’s recommendation and decided to bring the matter before the government for final approval. The defense minister raised the proposal in order to ensure the fence’s route conforms to a High Court decision on the matter and balances security needs with an effort to avoid complicating the daily lives of Palestinian residents.
The changes, if adopted, are expected to prevent High Court petitions over the route of the fence in the area.
Legal establishment criticized
Participants in the discussion also addressed problematic sections of the fence where work had been halted by the High Court, particularly in the Jerusalem region.
Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim told Ynet he is unimpressed with the pace of the legal establishment’s progress on the matter.
“In my view, the fence should have received significant preference because we’re talking about a fence that saves lives,” he said.
Earlier, Sharon asked Justice Minister Tzipi Livni to boost efforts undertaken in conjunction with the State Prosecutor aimed at deciding on a fence route in sections where a final route has not been outlined as of yet.