Israeli Fence – Security or apartheid

Historically, Jews migrated into Arabia between 1 and 500
A.D, introducing to the nomadic Arabian tribes many skills that would assist in
the 'birth of the Arab Civilisation': from gold-smithing, handicrafts,
enhanced commerce, and agricultural skills. The Jews or 'People of the book'
as they were known, brought with them monotheism, which was admired by the
Arabs. In the following 200 years, large numbers of Jewish immigrants continued
to pour into Arabia, helping establish new cities -– but refusing to join
Mohammed in his 'newly established faith'. Mohammed resented the Jews
and the Quaran records his feelings of hatred. Persecution began...

Centuries have since passed -– we now have a violent history
of death, vengeance and bloodshed!

The latest move by Israel: in an effort to provide some form
of security from the Palestinian suicide bombers, a year long building project
has commenced on a 220 mile fence, costing around $US350 million. The fence will
be electronically monitored with sensors, and has been designed to adapt to
variances in the terrain.

"As the settlers of Itamar were lowering their latest dead
into the ground of the West Bank, Israeli bulldozers were clawing away the soil
20 miles away to the north on a hillside of olive groves near the Arab village
of Salem. The newly-dug trenches mark the elaborate and controversial network of
10ft-high electronic fences, razor wire, walls, ditches, sensors, cameras and
army patrol roads...

Israel began to fence off its two million Palestinian
inhabitants last week. The same barrier will, however, also separate 200,000
Jewish settlers from Israel proper. Many are convinced that the land of Samaria
and Judea (as they call the West Bank) was given to the Jews by God. #Authors
note: It was! ...

The plan was accepted reluctantly by Ariel Sharon, the
right-wing Israeli prime minister, under pressure from his coalition
administration, as a desperate attempt to block off the suicide bombers...

The fence has, however, been condemned by the governments
critics on the right, including the vociferous settlers. They fear that it will
become Israel's Berlin Wall...

Settlers believe that the Jewish State should stretch from
the Mediterranean to the Jordan valley (encompassing the whole West Bank),
#Authors note: That's right! and they are furious that they will find
themselves living on the "Palestinian" side of the new divide...

Settlers know however that they are more likely to become
targets for armed and angry Palestinian militants, "The danger is that these
people are trapped here, they will turn on those next to them," said Johnie
Cline, 27...

Among the five million Israeli's who live within the
country's internationally recognised pre-1967 borders, there was widespread
support for the fence after last week's 118^th and 119^th
suicide attacks in the 20-month old Palestinian intifada." The Sunday
Telegraph, 23 June 2002.

So, the plot thickens. The fence will not solve the problem...the
terrorists will find another way. Pressure on Iraq is mounting -– we believe
that an all out Jihad or holy war is inevitable -– the question is when?