The fence seemingly accomplished what it was supposed to but the reporter describes it as a "land grab." (Most of the article revolves around Palestinian objections to the fence!)
Elliott Jager has written a
brief history (and defense) of the fence at Jewish Ideas Daily:
Clearly, gunmen can still lob rockets over or (as in the Gilad Shalit case) tunnel beneath any barrier. In 2003, two British nationals managed to legally exit Gaza to bomb the "Mike's Place" club in Tel Aviv, and in 2005 terrorists launched a deadly attack at the Karni truck crossing. But since the Gaza perimeter was secured in 1999, no terror attacks have emanated from the Strip. Even where it is still incomplete, the security fence has made it harder for enemy operatives to deliver car bombs or suicide bombers into Israeli population centers.
No doubt because of this success, the fence has served as a lightning rod for Israel's radical de-legitimizers who have nonsensically labeled it an "apartheid wall." Characteristic of those who have coalesced around this issue is the International Solidarity Movement, which organizes weekly riots (euphemistically, "direct action") at the fence. Four years ago this month, the International Court at The Hague predictably ruled that the barrier was "illegal."
Israel's Supreme Court has upheld the legality of the barrier and has, at times, ruled in favor of Palestinian claimants with regard to its precise route—most notably in the Bil'in-Modi'in area. In Jerusalem the fence is being erected along the municipal boundaries so as not to divide the capital. That still leaves too many Israelis on the "wrong side" of the fence feeling isolated and worried that its placement is a precursor to the abandonment of Jewish rights in the West Bank.
3) Which refugees are missing?
The New York Times carries a report today,
For Refugees, a Frustrating Feeling of Permanence
When Iraqi militias threatened Ghasswan Al Taee, 36, in 2006, he fled to Jordan. Five years later and with three children born here, his state of limbo has become a constant.
Since 2003 an estimated four million Iraqis have fled their homes, the largest exodus since Israel’s creation in 1948. Deepening violence and sectarian strife have led to the internal displacement of many Iraqis and have driven others out of the country, largely to Syria and Jordan, but also to Lebanon, Egypt, Turkey and the Gulf.
Which
refugees' existence isn't mentioned?
4) Al Qaeda's new recruiting strategy
The AP reports
Al-Qaida group says it plans cartoon recruiting film aimed at drawing in children
An al-Qaida affiliate says it plans to roll out what some have called a Disney-like animated cartoon aimed at recruiting children to the terror network. Scenes from the proposed short film show young boys dressed in battle fatigues and participating in raids, killings and terror plots. It is the latest attempt by the terror organization to use multimedia to draw in potential recruits.
Kiddie shows for terror recruitment! I wonder where
they got that idea. No wonder Hamas criticized the killing of Osama bin Laden, they and Al Qaeda think alike.
5) Follow ups
Reader Lynn pointed out a couple of things from previous Samplers about which I haven't been accurate. I've been writing that the new anti-boycott law establishes a tort for actual damages caused. This isn't necessarily correct. According to the
translation of the bill, damages may not be necessary for someone to be obligated to pay.
(c) If the court finds that a civil wrong according to this law was intentionally carried out, the court is authorized to charge the civil wrongdoer with thepayment of compensations that are not dependent on the damage (in this clause - damages for example); when determining the amount of damages for example, the court will take in to account, among others, the circumstances in which the civil wrong had been carried out, its severity and its scope.
Also I've written that Israel stopped remitting tax payments to the PA in retaliation for the Fatah-Hamas unity agreement. Back in May,
Israel gave into American pressure.
Bowing to international pressure, Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz confirmed a statement issued by a Palestinian official on Sunday that he would renew the transfer of millions of dollars in suspended tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority.
"For the last two weeks, we gave the PA a yellow card," the finance minister said Sunday night, "but we decided to renew the revenue transfers after we got confirmation from the Palestinians that no money will be transferred to Hamas or to terrorist operations."
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