The Baltimore Sun

Tell Mr. Sharon to 'tear down this wall'

By Sherri Muzher

July 7, 2003

MASON, Mich. - Few presidential speeches have made a mark on history, but on June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin and called on Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev to "tear down this wall" dividing Germany.

Now it's time for President Bush to make a similar call to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who insists on continuing with the construction of another Berlin-type wall between Israel and the West Bank.

The so-called security fence is designed to keep the Palestinians and Israelis separate so as to increase security for Israel. But the wall, sometimes referred to as the "apartheid wall" because it will contain Palestinians in a small area, will have far-reaching ramifications for both populations and for peace. The wall even elicited concerns recently from National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice. But no demand was made of the Israeli government to halt construction.

Israel has directed that 118 miles of the barrier be built, the first 90 of which are to become operational this month.

The lack of U.S. resolve on this issue is unfortunate given Washington's insistence that Israel and the Palestinians work toward confidence-building measures along their "road map" to peace. The negative ramifications of this wall cannot be overstated. Consider the following, according to the Palestinian Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations Network and B'tselem, an Israeli human rights group:

  • Contrary to media reports, the wall is not being built on the "Green Line" - the border between Israel and the West Bank that existed before the area was captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. In fact, the wall often extends far from the Green Line into the West Bank.

  • The wall will be three times as long and twice as high as the original Berlin Wall when it is completed.

  • Ten percent of the West Bank will be confiscated by Israel because of the route to the wall.

  • Water pipes have been and continue to be destroyed, resulting in a number of Palestinian villages losing their only source of water.

  • The winding route of the wall, together with the closure of areas as a result of another wall east of the separation line, will turn 19 Palestinian communities housing 128,500 people into isolated enclaves.

  • Another 20,000 Palestinians, or 3,175 families, in the northern West Bank will live east of the wall while their farmland is west of the wall. This will result in a loss of income and sustenance.

  • An estimated 2,200 tons of olive oil and 50 tons of fruit production are expected to be destroyed with the erection of the wall. A further 6,500 jobs will be lost.

  • Access to hospitals for rural areas will be significantly reduced. The educational system also will suffer because many teachers live outside of the districts in which they teach. This is particularly true in the village schools.

    It is difficult to imagine how trust can be built in such an atmosphere. Many Israelis insist that the wall must continue to be built despite the road map, even if the wall causes strained relations between the United States and Israel. The belief is that the construction must continue in case the road map fails. Under this rationale, the Palestinians could say they would never disarm the militias or give up the resistance to Israeli occupation because the road map could fail.

    Israelis have claimed that suicide bombers have been prevented from entering their country wherever the wall has gone up. But Israelis also have claimed that the military checkpoints and acquisition of territory are necessary for security. Neither has prevented a bombing, and the wall will have the same result.

    Earlier this year, there was an expectation that if Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's role was marginalized, the intifada, or uprising, would likely end. But the intifada was always bigger than Mr. Arafat, bigger than Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas, bigger than Mr. Sharon. It is about the human spirit and the desire to be free.

    President Reagan said toward the end of his Berlin speech that he "noticed words crudely spray-painted upon the wall, perhaps by a young Berliner: 'This wall will fall. Beliefs become reality.' Yes ... this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom."

    Few Palestinians would disagree with you, Mr. President.

    Sherri Muzher holds a degree in international law and is a media analyst and writer.

    Copyright © 2003, The Baltimore Sun