Last Update: 21/02/2005 12:37

Palestinians wounded by IDF in separation fence protest
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/542965.html
By Arnon Regular and Aluf Benn, Haaretz Correspondents

Ten Palestinians were wounded on Monday in clashes with the Israel Defense
Forces
during a demonstration against the separation fence east of Modi'in.

Several hundreds of Palestinian, Israeli and foreign protesters demonstrated in
the Palestinian village of Bil'in against the construction of the fence in the
area.

IDF soldiers used tear gas and rubber bullets against the demonstrators.

The government approved the revised route of the fence on Sunday, by a 20 to 1
majority. Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz voted against the new route, and
Minister Natan Sharasky abstained.

The newly approved route includes the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, Ma'aleh
Adumim
and parts of the southern Hebron hills region. It includes about seven percent
of
West Bank land on the 'Israeli' side of the fence.

Other amendments to the fence's route were announced Monday. A special
protective
wall will be built along Road 60 connecting the Gush Etzion settlements with
Jerusalem. In addition, the fence in the southern Hebron Hills area will run
close to the settlements in the area, originally meant to include vast portions
of Palestinian lands.

Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz said he voted against the new route because
much land in the southern Hebron hills area was on the Palestinian side of the
fence, a decision which would endanger the nearby city of Be'er Sheva, Katz
said.

Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu supported the route, but criticized the
proximity of the fence to Highway 443, which connects Modi'in to Jerusalem. "A
situation in which the security of a central highway to Jerusalem is not taken
into consideration is impossible. I will protect the former route in the High
Court."



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