The Security Fence

All articles related to the security fence.

Why is a barrier called a ‘wall’, if 97% of it is a fence?

What the Israeli anti-terror fence really is, is a three meter high fence. The places where a fence is not suitable, concrete slabs has been erected. These 3% of the security fence can be found at the cities of e.g. Qalqilyah and Tulkarem, where terrorists time and time again have shot at Israeli civilian vehicles in Israel proper.

The wall protects Israeli civilians from Palestinian sniper fire.

It matters what the security fence is called, as the symbolic value embodied in respectively a “fence” and a “wall” are two worlds apart. The reason this myth is so perpetual in the Arab world, and more interestingly in the European press, is due to the fact that it conforms with already established facts – that Israel is the aggressor, occupier and apartheid-regime, controlling the Palestinians’ lives completely.

Using the word “wall” instead of “fence” is solely to associate Israel with the regime in East Germany robbing millions of their liberty, freedom of expression, freedom of movement and so forth. Accompanying imagery of an intimidating massive concrete wall in the Danish press and media serves no other purpose than to appall and shock people – immediately leading people’s thoughts to the wall of East Germany.

Israel does not want to imprison anyone. Israel does not want to occupy for the sole reason of occupying. There is a cause and effect. The reason why the security fence was built is quite simple – to protect a civilian population living in freedom and democracy against hordes of terrorists from dictatorships campaigning a genocide against Israeli civilians.

Having personally seen parts of the fence many places in Israel, I don’t consider it to disfigure the landscape. It is not even close to dominating as much as the media portrays it to be. The description of the security fence as an ‘apartheid wall’ must derive from those who place an exceptional small value on the lives of Israeli civilians.

Looking at the facts, we know the following about the security fence, and the results it has created:

Had there been no terrorism by Palestinians, there had been no security fence, or security measures at all. The two largest official political bodies representing the Palestinians, the Palestinian Authority and Hamas, have failed continuously in regards of preventing terrorism – terrorism being the sole raison d’être of Hamas.

The security fence is not an obstacle to peace, as the fence in Southern Lebanon, it may be moved at any time. Contrary, it assures a national- and regional stability ensuing from the limited amount of terrorist-attacks. Tensions have drastically declined since the building of the security fence.

From 2000 to 2007 a total of 140 suicide bombing attacks occurred. 542 individuals were killed. A total of 1234 Israelis were killed from all Palestinian attacks in the same time period. More than 8000 Israelis were wounded in this time period too.[1]

If we extrapolate these figures, it means that more than 40.000 Americans had been killed and more than 300.000 injured in a time period of 7 years.[2][3] Excluding WTC, around 30 Americans has been killed in the US the last 10 years.[4]

From 2000 to July 2003, 73 Palestinian suicide attacks were committed – killing a total of 293 Israelis and injuring almost 2000. From August 2003, when the first part of the security fence was built, until the end of 2006 – only 12 attacks originating from the West Bank were carried out – killing a total of 64 Israelis and wounding close to 500.[5]

In 2002 452 individuals lost their lives, this figure stands at 9 for 2010. The total amount of terror-killed in 2010 is 2% the amount killed in 2002.[6]

From Gaza just one attack have originated. Probably due to the security wall erected around the coastal strip. Maj. Gen. Doron Almog says more than 400 attempts to cross the security fence between 2000-2003 failed. 2009 was the first year without suicide bombing attacks.[7][8]

Countries that has erected concrete walls, includes Saudi-Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Morocco, Iraq, Iran.[9]