Amnesty slams Israel's 'apartheid wall'
Jerusalem - Israel on Monday rejected criticism by Amnesty International over its vast barrier in the occupied West Bank, saying Palestinian suicide bombers were to blame for the controversial structure.
"The Palestinians are responsible for their lot," Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres told public radio.
"The enormous problems caused by the security barrier are the consequences of the second intifada and the buses that the Palestinian suicide bombers coming from the West Bank exploded in Israel."
"Each state must protect its nationals and the security barrier was erected to prevent these attacks, which have practically stopped since it was put up," he said.
| 'Eats up chunks of their promised state' |
In its report on the 40th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, the London-based human rights group said Israel had plunged the Palestinians into unprecedented levels of poverty but failed to assure its own security.
Amnesty said Israel could not justify building the barrier, much of which lies on Palestinian land inside the West Bank, and spoke out against the more than 500 Israeli checkpoints and blockades in the West Bank.
"We are trying to reduce the number of roadblocks in the West Bank to ease traffic, but at the same time the Palestinian terrorist organisations try to take advantage of this to carry out attacks in Israel," Peres said.
Israel says the 700km long "security barrier," made up of concrete walls and razor wire fences, is necessary to protect the Jewish state against attacks.
Palestinians say the "apartheid wall" is a land grab which eats up chunks of their promised state, separates farmers from their land and splits entire communities and families. - Sapa-AFP
Published on the Web by IOL on 2007-06-04 09:12:41
Related
Amnesty: Watchdog Needed for Israel
We have to protect the Palestinians from their aquafiers, otherwise they might drown! Only zionists know how to swim, therefore the Palestinians shall be cut off from the Red Sea as well! We need a wall to block the lemming-like Amalek from any water sources, lest they commit suicide! (sic)