The Cabinet met today to discuss and decide two controversial issues: The planned route of the partition wall/fence designed to keep terrorists out of Jewish-populated areas, and the latest wave of budget cuts.
Purposely or not, the decision on the counter-terrorism separation fence was publicized with more than a modicum of vagueness - but more details gradually began to emerge as the day progressed. The north-south section of the partition will be constructed, in stages, mostly along the Green Line - that which separated Israel from Judea and Samaria between 1949 and 1967 - but will include several "fingers" entering eastward into Yesha to enclose Jewish areas. Most notably, the Ariel-Kedumim-Emanuel bloc will be included within the fence, but not immediately; the fence will be constructed to the east of this bloc, but will not be connected to the rest of the partition at present.
In addition, Jewish blocs of communities such as Nili-Naaleh, near Modiin, and Dolev-Talmon, will be enclosed by their own fences or natural-obstacle lines, which may or may not be attached to the actual partition in the future. The partition will also pass north of the important Highway 443 from Modiin to Jerusalem. In general, said Yesha Council Chairman Bentzy Lieberman, "we feel gratified that the route decided on today blurs the fence's character as a political border. We had feared that if the fence were to be built solely along the Green Line, the world would comprehend it as forming a Palestinian state with recognized borders. But now, with the large bites bitten off in various places, no one will recognize the fence as a final border - not the Palestinians, not the Americans, and certainly not us. We will instead continue to build and spread out in Yesha."
The decision today stipulated that construction of the partition will occur in a staged manner. Seventeen ministers voted in favor, while Ministers Sheetrit, Sharansky, Lieberman and Elon voted against, and Landau abstained. Sheetrit, more dovish than his Likud colleagues, says that the fence must not deviate at all from the Green Line.
The U.S. is against the partition. William Burns, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, said yesterday that the security fence, as well as Israel's "settlement activities," are "impediments to implementing President Bush's vision of a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel." Supporters of Israel see it differently. "The fence is a completely defensive measure. Israel should be applauded for it," said Sen. Charles Schumer (D., NY). Rep. Steve Israel, also a New York Democrat, said the administration is "absolutely inconsistent... Fifteen of [the September 11 hijackers] were from Saudi Arabia. Nobody is talking about withholding aid to the Saudis. Why Israel? It's really the only democratic friend we have in the Middle East."
Purposely or not, the decision on the counter-terrorism separation fence was publicized with more than a modicum of vagueness - but more details gradually began to emerge as the day progressed. The north-south section of the partition will be constructed, in stages, mostly along the Green Line - that which separated Israel from Judea and Samaria between 1949 and 1967 - but will include several "fingers" entering eastward into Yesha to enclose Jewish areas. Most notably, the Ariel-Kedumim-Emanuel bloc will be included within the fence, but not immediately; the fence will be constructed to the east of this bloc, but will not be connected to the rest of the partition at present.
In addition, Jewish blocs of communities such as Nili-Naaleh, near Modiin, and Dolev-Talmon, will be enclosed by their own fences or natural-obstacle lines, which may or may not be attached to the actual partition in the future. The partition will also pass north of the important Highway 443 from Modiin to Jerusalem. In general, said Yesha Council Chairman Bentzy Lieberman, "we feel gratified that the route decided on today blurs the fence's character as a political border. We had feared that if the fence were to be built solely along the Green Line, the world would comprehend it as forming a Palestinian state with recognized borders. But now, with the large bites bitten off in various places, no one will recognize the fence as a final border - not the Palestinians, not the Americans, and certainly not us. We will instead continue to build and spread out in Yesha."
The decision today stipulated that construction of the partition will occur in a staged manner. Seventeen ministers voted in favor, while Ministers Sheetrit, Sharansky, Lieberman and Elon voted against, and Landau abstained. Sheetrit, more dovish than his Likud colleagues, says that the fence must not deviate at all from the Green Line.
The U.S. is against the partition. William Burns, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, said yesterday that the security fence, as well as Israel's "settlement activities," are "impediments to implementing President Bush's vision of a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel." Supporters of Israel see it differently. "The fence is a completely defensive measure. Israel should be applauded for it," said Sen. Charles Schumer (D., NY). Rep. Steve Israel, also a New York Democrat, said the administration is "absolutely inconsistent... Fifteen of [the September 11 hijackers] were from Saudi Arabia. Nobody is talking about withholding aid to the Saudis. Why Israel? It's really the only democratic friend we have in the Middle East."