February 24, 2004 /
Originally published online
here.
CHRISTINA PARK, CNN ANCHOR: We told you yesterday about
a controversial barrier that Israel is building along the West Bank.
Monday, the International Court of Justice began hearings into whether the
barrier violates international law. A decision is expected within a few
months. Israel says the barrier is necessary to protect its citizens from
Palestinian terrorism. Palestinians say it's a land grab that's dividing
families. Yesterday we looked at the Palestinian perspective--the first
chapter in a report examining the issue from both sides. Today, we explore
the Israeli perspective. John Vause has the story.
(begin video)
JOHN VAUSE, CNN REPORTER: For Arnold Roth, it's an
agonizing question which can never be answered: could this fence have
saved his daughter's life?
ARNOLD ROTH, LOST DAUGHTER TO SUICIDE BOMB: My daughter
died as a result of a very well planned massacre which took place in the
heart of Jerusalem, and we continue to live in very dangerous times, so it
is very difficult to say that any particular measure would have been
enough to save her life.
VAUSE: Malka was 15 years old, killed by a suicide
bomber, along with 14 others, at a pizzeria in Jerusalem almost three
years ago.
ROTH: She wasn't caught in the crossfire, she wasn't a
bystander, she was the target. People outside of this country have to
understand that whatever we do to protect our lives has to be seen as our
prerogative and perfectly legitimate. We want our government to do
whatever is necessary to keep our lives safe and our children safe.
VAUSE: The suicide bomber came from Jenin, a Palestinian
city in the West Bank.
LT. COL DOTANRAZILAI, ISRAELI DEFENSE FORCE: On the left
that is Jenin.
VAUSE: Lt. Col Dotan Razilai is Brigade Commander for
the Jenin area. A chain link fence now stretches past the city - about 20
miles to the east and west . . . by next year, Israel plans to have
finished building its barrier more than 400 miles long . . .but already,
according to Razilai, this section is working. No suicide bombers he says,
have made it into Israel from Jenin, since May last year.
RAZILAI: This is their path, the favorite path the
terrorist use and the security fence stops them.
VAUSE: The fence is surrounded by barbed wire, it has
sensors, and there's constant video surveillance.
VAUSE: A lot of people have said the fence is
electrified?
RAZILAI: Ok, it is not electrified.
VAUSE: We can walk over to the fence.
RAZILAI: Yeah walk up to it and touch it. It's actually
a sensing fence
VAUSE: So if I do this?
RAZILAI: Yeah this sets off an alarm.
VAUSE: Here the fence runs closely between the West Bank
and Israel. But elsewhere Palestinians say it's a land grab, jutting into
the West Bank, isolating villages and dividing families. Often their only
way in and out is through gates, opened and closed, they say, at the whim
of Israeli soldiers.
RAZILAI: We have problems and we understand those
problems and we try to correct them.
VAUSE: It's a learning process Razilai says for both
Palestinians and Israelis.
ROTH: The kind of inconvenience and discomfort and
suffering that they're going through simply doesn't compare to the murder
of 15-year-olds.
VAUSE: Arnold Roth says the fence isn't the only answer,
he wants both sides to keep talking, but the fence he says will help keep
Israelis alive until there is a lasting peace. John Vause CNN, Jerusalem.
(end video) |
