Behind the Fence

There’s been a lot of buzz surrounding Ariel Sharon’s public statements suggesting dismantling of settlements in Gaza.

Uri Avnery makes this observation, an opinion that’s crossed my mind as well.

Well, everyone knows it’s spin. It is designed to draw attention away from the bribery affair, for which he was interrogated this week by high-ranking police officers. It is also designed to hint to the brand-new Attorney General that if he indicts Sharon, he will be sabotaging a historic step towards peace. It also serves to tell the President of the United States, on the eve of Sharon’s planned visit to the White House, that Sharon is now ready to make a serious move, and that Bush must give him his blessing and some more billions of dollars (to pay the settlers off.)

And there’s yet another thorn in Sharon’s side of late. He’s also dealing with the UN’s request that the International Court of Justice rule on the legality of Israel’s wall. A hearing has been set to take place at the Hague on Feb. 23.

The most recent news on Israel’s response to that upcoming hearing is their implausible and ridiculous assertion they haven’t been aware of construction that compromises the rights of Palestinians.

Sadly for all involved that’s an outright lie.

Behind the Fence is an interesting programme you might be able to catch on World Link TV that’s also been broadcast on the BBC.

Excerpt:

00.22.13
Narrator
The mayor, who is from Ariel Sharon’s Likud party, managed to get the route of the fence changed to include his settlement on the Israeli side, at the expense of a large area of Palestinian land.

00.22.25
Aston
CHISDAI
Mayor of Alfei Menashe
Voice over

We woke up one morning and saw in the newspaper that my settlement Alfei Menashe would actually stay on the other side of the fence. The barrier would pass us to the west. I went on a mission to parliament in order to gather as big a lobby as possible, to include my settlement and put the fence on its east side.

00.22.55
Chisdai
Voice over

It taught me a lot about the decision-making process in Israel and I think it’s not too late to deal with the issue and to include your settlement inside the fence too. So we could do that as well.

Israel boycotts barrier hearings

At a meeting on Thursday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government decided to stand by an affidavit filed by Israel on 1 January which states that the ICJ has no authority in the matter.

Government lawyers argued that any Israeli presence at the hearings would lend them credibility.

[Updated @10:53 a.m. to include the last link & excerpt.]