Israel has been under existential threat from the day it claimed independence in 1948.  Beginning that very day, local Arab militias rained shells down on Tel-Aviv.  The desire to destroy Israel manifested itself in many factions throughout the years, from regular Arab armies, to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and its affiliated terror groups, to Hamas. Under these circumstances—being constantly attacked by people who seek the destruction of one’s country—it is natural to develop a defensive position. Since Israel won the West Bank and Gaza in 1967, Israel has struggled to ensure Israeli security without undermining the freedom of the Palestinians.             

There used to be a time when Arabs and Israelis could share the same roads of the disputed territories; however, due to several roadside bombs and dozens of Israeli casualties, most roads are now divided along lines of citizenship.  The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) used to allow Palestinian Red Crescent ambulances to pass through checkpoints without scrutiny, but the incident of a suicide bomber transported in an ambulance now requires Israelis to search ambulances as they pass through checkpoints, in order to ensure safety for the Israeli people. 

Of all the security measures taken by Israel, none has aroused such strong disapproval as Israel’s security fence. In order to fairly evaluate this situation, it is necessary to understand why the barrier is being constructed. CNN portrays the security fence simply as a thirty-foot tall, concrete wall dividing Jerusalem from Bethlehem and other Arab villages. In reality, less than 10% of the security barrier is concrete.  This is because in certain areas, mainly around Jerusalem, Arab neighborhoods and Jewish neighborhoods are in such close proximity that Arab snipers could take potshots into the Jewish towns. For example, in Gilo, a town just south of Jerusalem, one can actually see the concrete barrier snaking its way between Gilo and Bethlehem. 

I observed this proximity myself while I was in Israel this past winter.  I stood in front of an elementary school, looking out at Bethlehem. Behind me, the school and playground were full of bullet holes from sniper fire emanating from Bethlehem, in the West Bank.  After talking to some of the locals, I learned that Israeli children had been shot at while playing at recess before the concrete security barrier went into place.

Over 90% of the barrier is a fence.  I can report this first hand, as I toured the length of the security barrier this past summer.  The chain-link fence stands roughly eight feet tall and is topped by three strands of barbed wire.  It is monitored by a number of outposts hidden in the Judean hills through a network of electronic sensors and cameras (military intelligence declined to tell me the exact number).  At no point is the fence composed entirely of barbed wire, nor is it electrified, as many claim.  When someone touches the fence, an alarm will sound, and the IDF dispatch tracks to find and arrest the interlopers.

Israel’s security barrier has saved countless lives.  In areas adjacent to the barrier, successful border penetrations have decreased by over 90%.  These numbers are available at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. 

However, the fence has also had negative effects on the Palestinians.  Most Palestinians from towns in the northern West Bank, such as Qalqilya or Tulkarem, are now rerouted to the main checkpoint in Jerusalem if they wish to get into Israel, turning what could be a twenty minute drive into a three or four hour drive. 

Israel has taken measures to ease the difficulty the fence imposes on Palestinians.  For example, certain Palestinian students who attend school in Israel may bypass security checkpoints.  Israel’s Supreme Court itself undertook a massive rerouting of the security barrier, at a higher cost to Israel, in order to decrease the amount of Palestinian land expropriated for its construction.

The bottom line is clear: Israel is under constant attack, and like any other nation, this country has the right to defend itself. It is true that the barrier disrupts the daily lives of Palestinians, but it is also true that many Israeli lives have been saved by it.  Despite the claims, the fence is not a “land grab,” as Israel has repeatedly ensured that the fence will be dismantled once terrorism is brought to an end.  It is not “apartheid”, as some extremists claim, for the obvious truth that the barrier has both Arabs and Jews on each side of it.  Israel has attempted numerous other safety measures before assembling a barrier, but with almost twenty years since the first intifada erupted and no end to Palestinian terrorism in sight, Israel has been forced to take a more defensive posture to protect the lives of its citizens.

Brian Levin is a member of the UC Davis campus group Aggies for Israel.

The views expressed in this article are strictly those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the International Affairs Journal or its contributors.

---