Electronic fence for West Bank

2005-02-13 22:28

Jerusalem - The Israeli military plans to position an electronic fence in the northern West Bank after this summer's planned evacuation of four settlements there, an army publication reported.

The electronic sensors and radar would control Palestinian traffic between the part Israel plans to leave and other parts of the territory, where settlements will remain, according to the current edition of the soldiers' weekly, "Bamahane."

Israel plans to dismantle all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four in the northern West Bank as part of its "disengagement" plan.

The weekly said that the electronic sensors are meant to prevent Palestinians from crossing unchecked from the evacuated part of the West Bank to the rest of the territory. Instead, they would have to follow the current procedure - crossing through Israeli military checkpoints.

The commander of the limited warfare section of the military's computer division, identified only by his first name as Lt. Col. Alon, told the weekly, "It would be must easier just to build two fences across the area, and that's that."

However, he said, positioning sensors instead fences would avert the necessity of confiscating farmland.

"We want to take onto account the needs of the local population," he said. "We are aware of the implications of this."

Israel is building a barrier along the West Bank, dipping into the territory at some points, saying it's necessary to keep Palestinian suicide bombers and other attackers out of the country. Palestinians demand that the work be halted, complaining that it cuts many farmers off from their land and causes other hardships.

- SAPA