Posted on 12/23/2003 1:51:51 PM PST by anotherview
Partition Fence Being Built By PA Arabs
23:08 Dec 23, '03 / 28 Kislev 5764
Deputy Chief-of-Staff General Gabi Ashkenazi told a Knesset committee today (Tuesday) that the partition fence will cost over 10 billion NIS and is being built to a large extent by PA Arab workers.
“The security fence is being built, in many cases, by Palestinian Arabs,” Deputy Chief-of-Staff General Gabi Ashkenazi told a Knesset committee today (Tuesday).
General Asheknazi, in an address delivered to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Security committees today gave an update on the extent of the security fence, its cost, and progress in its construction.
Based on General Ashkenazi’s assessment, the fence will not be completed until the year 2005. The cost of the fence, including crossing stations, will be more than 10 billion NIS. 90 miles of fence have already been erected and activated. “There are three active segments of the fence at this time,” said General Ashkenazi. “An 80 mile segment from Kfar Saalam, near Jenin, until Elkana, six miles of fence encircling Jerusalem, and four more miles in the northern Baka Al-Gharbia region.
General Ashkenazi said that by February, 2004 an additional 25 miles of fence will have been built from the northern Gilboa region down to Baka Al-Gharbia. He also said that by the end of 2004 the fence surrounding Jerusalem will be completed. “The next stage,” said General Ashkenazi, “would be 125 miles of fence reaching until Moshav Carmel,” which is in the southern Hevron hills.
The deputy Chief-of-Staff also said that 15,000 Israeli and PA Arabs were hired so far to take part in the building of the partition fence. He said that foreign workers had not been used for any of the construction.
Friction has developed between the finance ministry and the security establishment regarding the cost of each mile of fence but according to a Finance Ministry official it has not effected the fence’s construction. MK Uri Ariel (National Union), Chairman of the Knesset Defense Budget Committee, commented during the discussion in the Knesset that, “The work is being done without a budget and my committee is not requesting addition funds. It is possible to save three million Shekels on every mile. The work is being done in the most expensive and wasteful manner.”
MK Ariel remains a strong opponent of the fence which he insists is being used to implement unilateral retreat while complicating Israel’s position in the international community. Ariel maintains the enormous sums of monies being poured into the fence could be better used to provide conventional security.
Published: 22:56 December 23, 2003 Last Update: 23:08 December 23, 2003
I should point out that Arutz Sheva is the voice of the nationalists (i.e.: National Union party) and the ideological settlers. They have been opposed to the security fence in a lot of their editorials.
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