The Wall Arrives in Jerusalem
As the Israeli Government builds the barrier known variously as the “apartheid wall” and “separation fence” in parts of the occupied Palestinian Territories, Palestinians have begun to experience the effects of this new barrier.
Many residents of Abu Dis and Bethany work in Jerusalem and until now, these workers have often been made to climb over a concrete barrier. However, with the new section of the wall being built through their villages, the residents of these areas will no longer be able to climb the barrier, and will only be able to pass to Jerusalem to work, pray, and visit friends if they have official permission and can pass through one of the gates that Israel has promised to make in the wall.
More than 158 employees of the Lutheran World Federation-Jerusalem will live on the West Bank side of the wall and work on the Jerusalem side of the wall. More than 132 students of the Vocational Training Center will live on the oposite side of the wall from the Center.
As of April of 2003, the Palestinian Environmental NGO Network (PENGON) reports that the structures and plant life on 14,680 dunums of West Bank land have been razed to build the foundations of the wall and over 100,000 trees (including many groves of fruit and olive trees) have been uprooted. When completed, the wall will be at least 360 Kilometers long, and is up to 8 meters high. PENGON estimates that the wall’s path will result in the isolation/confiscation of at least 10% of West Bank land. According to their estimates, this will mean the isolation of agricultural land that currently produces 2,200 tons of olive oil, 50 tons of fruit, and more than 100,000 tons of vegetables. For more information, see the PENGON website at www.pengon.org.