European Union condemns Israel's barrier

Palestinians seek UN-backed punitive measures against companies building separation wall

The Daily Star

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

European Union foreign policy chief Javier Solana criticized Israel for the separation barrier it is building around Jerusalem, while the Palestinian Authority said it is seeking UN-backed punitive measures against companies whose products are used in the project. Solana's comments came as Israel sought a $2.2 billion in additional U.S. aid for this summer's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip while also lobbying for EU backing.

On Sunday, Israel's Cabinet decided to build another segment of the barrier around Jerusalem, in what Israeli officials said would be the effective separation of 55,000 Palestinian residents from the rest of the holy city.

Solana, arriving for talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, said the EU was against the new segment for the same reason it opposed the larger West Bank project - because it cuts into occupied land.

"We think that Israel has the right to defend itself but we think that the fence which will stand outside the territory of Israel is not legally proper and it creates also humanitarian problems," he told reporters in Jerusalem.

He said the Jerusalem barrier would also have a symbolic effect. The city is holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims.

In an interview with Reuters, Palestinian Foreign minister Nasser al-Kidwa said the PA was proposing "completely punitive measures against entities, companies and individuals that contribute to the construction of the wall and other illegal activities in the occupied Palestinian territory."

Kidwa said such measures could include undertakings by UN member states not to issue visas or work contracts to companies linked to the project.

He named only one firm, Illinois-based Caterpillar Inc., whose earth-moving machinery and bulldozers are among the equipment used by the Israeli occupation army to clear ground and sometimes Palestinian homes for the barrier.

Earlier, Kidwa called for a "higher level of daily confrontations against the wall," a year after the World Court judged the network of razor wire-tipped fences and concrete walls to be illegal because it is built on occupied territory.

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qorei responded harshly to the Israeli decision, calling it "theft in broad daylight" of land Palestinians seek for the capital of their future state.

"This decision makes a farce of any talk about peace and turns the Gaza withdrawal into a useless initiative," he said in a statement, referring Israel's planned Gaza pullout.

Haim Ramon, Israel's Cabinet minister for Jerusalem affairs, defended the vote, which calls for completion of the Jerusalem barrier by September 1.

"I want to point out that in Jerusalem alone, close to 250 people have been murdered during the intifada (Palestinian uprising), most of them in suicide attacks. The fence was born, first and foremost, to prevent them from continuing to murder us," he told Israel Radio.

But he did acknowledged that besides keeping bombers out, the route "also makes Jerusalem more Jewish."

"The safer and more Jewish Jerusalem will be, it can serve as a true capital of the state of Israel," he said. 

Looking for international support for the "disengagement plan," Israeli officials who

have traveled to Washington are planning to seek a multi-billion dollar package of aid to help cushion the impact of next month's withdrawal, a senior aide to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said.

"This package, which will require approval from the American Congress, could take the form of a combination of grants, loans or bank guarantees," the official said on condition of anonymity.

Israel had been on track to extract $500 million from Washington to help finance the pullout, but in initial talks, the U.S. said it was prepared to grant Israel "generous aid," according to a report on public radio.

While hugely contentious in Israel, the move has won widespread international backing, including from the EU.

Solana said that the 25-nation bloc wanted to do its bit to ensure the success of the pullout as he began a four-day visit to the region.

"We would like to be of help, if possible ... help economically, help politically and help from a security point of view," the Spanish diplomat told reporters ahead of a meeting with Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom.

Solana called the pullout from Gaza a "courageous decision" but made clear that the EU wanted it to help revive the bilateral peace process. - Agencies

Compiled by Daily Star staff