JERUSALEM — The Israeli military has begun rerouting a hotly disputed section of its West Bank security barrier, marking a victory for Palestinians who fought for five years to win back access to their land, officials said Thursday.
The move comes 2 1/2 years after the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the fence improperly cut through the Palestinian village of Bilin in order to enlarge a nearby Israeli settlement.
Bilin leaders on Thursday celebrated the arrival of work crews but said they will continue to protest until the barrier is removed completely.
Under the new route, expected to be completed this year, about 170 acres of vineyards, olive and almond trees, and other agricultural land will be accessible again to Palestinian owners. But villagers say the barrier and nearby Israeli settlements still occupy about 400 acres of land they once held.
“Even getting back one inch is an accomplishment,” said Iyad Burnat, resident of Bilin and member of the Bilin Popular Committee Against the Wall. Israeli officials say the barrier — a string of concrete walls, electronic fences and trenches — has proved effective at stemming violence and suicide bombings.
