Back in March, 2003, a report from the London Guardian accused Ariel Sharon of plans to turn the Palestinian territories into a huge prison. At that time, it was reported that Wall (the so-called "security fence"), whose justification is often quoted as being a defense against "terrorist" suicide bombers, was clearly much more: it was the makings of a plan to unilaterally enforce a Bantustan (apartheid) existence upon the Palestinians by confiscating the Jordan Valley. At that time, it was indicated that,
Ariel Sharon has told his cabinet that he plans to extend the "security fence" Israel is building along the length of the West Bank so that it entirely encircles any Palestinian state.
The revelation, which follows the Israeli government's decision to oppose full independence for Palestine in favor of a state with "certain attributes of sovereignty", immediately drew fire from the Palestinians who accused the Israeli prime minister of trying to turn the occupied territories into a huge prison.
(snip)
Mr. Sharon dropped what is being called a political bombshell on Sunday while taking his cabinet on a secret tour of the fence, which is a six-metre (20ft) wall topped with barbed wire and lined with guard towers in many places.
The 230-mile wall and fence already under construction will extend the length of the West Bank, creeping deep inside Palestinian territory for long stretches. It will almost surround at least one, and probably two, cities.
Now Mr. Sharon is proposing to link the two ends of the fence already under construction with an additional section along the length of the Jordan valley. But he denied it was intended to define the borders of a Palestinian state ahead of the implementation of the American "road map".
"A fence is not a political border. It is not a security border but rather another means to assist in the war against terror, and greatly assist in stopping illegal aliens," Mr. Sharon said.
Whatever this double-talk meant, subsequent reports on the progress of the "Eastern Wall" in the Jordan Valley region make clear that Israel’s intentions are indeed to imprison the Palestinians, as this later December 2005 report indicates:
The Eastern Wall
Closing the Circle of Our Ghettoization
Jamal Juma
December 24, 2005
More than a year has passed since the Occupation Forces declared the completion of the first section of the Apartheid Wall - running from Jenin to Qalqiliya. Rapid construction around Jerusalem, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron marks the second phase of the project. Meanwhile, away from public attention, the Occupation has begun the third phase of the Wall, which will annex and ethnically cleanse the Jordan Valley.
Under the rubric of "development," the Valley has become a "Major Governmental Project" for settlement expansion. The result has been the destruction of Palestinian land, increased house demolitions, and the expulsion of Palestinian Bedouins. Last week, two of the four "terminals" controlling Palestinian movement in and out of the area were closed to all Palestinians not residing there, thus completely isolating the northern areas of the Jordan Valley. In the south, "flying checkpoints" exclude Palestinians without residency permits recognized by the Occupation – including land owners.
The final step in the annexation of the Valley has begun.
More current news, like this March 2006 report reveal continuing confiscations of Palestinian lands to make way for the Eastern Wall:
The Wall in the Jordan Valley: Trenches to isolate and expel Palestinians from Lands
Palestinian Grassroots Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign
March 25th, 2006
Occupation Forces are deploying new tactics as they finalize the Apartheid Wall project within the Jordan Valley. Deep trenches across the western limits of the Valley have been constructed to shut Palestinians out from their farms and pastures. It comes as part of the Occupation attempt to cleanse the Valley of Palestinians and secure the ghettoization of villagers to the east. The trenches expand over many kilometres to prevent Palestinians residing in the eastern hills overlooking the area from accessing their lands.
In the northern Jordan Valley, between Tubas and Beit Dajan, the trench system has been completed. A five kilometre long trench has been dug to bar Palestinians from their farmland in Sahel Libqe’a. The trench is intersected with two gates – for the use of the Occupation Forces only - and ends in the south at the Hamra checkpoint. This is one of the main checkpoints in the Valley and has been used for the last 5 months as a means to restrict Palestinian movement, and cut the Valley off from the rest of the West Bank. Mirroring the cement Walls to the East, the Occupation is using a myriad of forms such as trenches, gates, settler roads and checkpoints to achieve the goal of annexing the Jordan Valley.
Sahel Libqe’a extends over an area of 20,000 dunums and has been used by some 12,000 farmers for the cultivation of wheat and plants for animal fodder and, during summer time, as grazing ground for cattle. The cultivation and usage of the land was the main source of livelihood to families in Tammun as well as in the neighbouring communities of Himsa, Libqe’a, ar-Ras al-Ahmar and Atouf. Access to the area had already been difficult as farmers or shepherds faced regular beatings and the confiscation of their sheep. The new trench ensures Palestinian land remains off-limits to its owners in order to facilitate further Zionist expansion in the Valley.
As well as this December 2006 report a few weeks ago:
Israeli forces expanding Wall in West Bank's Jordan Valley
Ali Samoudi
Thursday, 28 December 2006
Residents of the northern Jordan Valley in the West Bank are living in state of fear and anxiety as Israeli forces overtake more land. The Wall is being built on their land and more of the surroundings are being confiscated. Farid Abdul Rahim of the Land Defense Committee said that the peoples' suffering has been exacerbated as they depend on agriculture and are unable to reach it. Hundreds of thousands of the most fertile acres of farm land have been lost.
The Israeli Civil Administration, the occupation authority in the area, has targeted areas that are the only source of livelihood for many residents.Israeli forces have imposed several additional checkpoints in the area and issued dozens of warnings to area farmers telling them to remove green houses as the Israeli forces are "establishing a military buffer zone" on hundreds of dunums of Palestinian agricultural land. Residents report that in the last week the Israelis have brought in more surveyors and photographers in a prelude to implementing the destruction.
Notwithstanding Olmert’s overtures of peace, the Sharon plan to encircle the Palestinians by the Wall continues. These developments in the eastern West Bank, the Jordan Valley, as of today confirm that Israel’s intention remains the Apartheid solution that Jimmy Carter warned about in Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid.
Crossposted at Eternal Hope: http://eternalhope.blog-city.com/