WALAJEH, West Bank — Israel has started construction on a new section of its West Bank separation barrier that Palestinian residents say could sound a death knell for their hamlet.
The barrier, running much of the length of the West Bank, has already disrupted lives in many Palestinian towns and villages in its path. But it threatens to outright smother Walajeh: The community of about 2,000 on the southwest edge of Jerusalem is to be completely encircled by a fence, cutting it off from most of its open land, according to an Israeli Defense Ministry map.
Walajeh old-timers are determined to stay but doubt their children will do the same.
“We will cling to the village by our teeth,” said Adel Atrash, a village council member. “But we don’t know how the next generation will look at things. Maybe they won’t be able to live with all the difficulties and decide to leave.”
Israel began building the barrier in 2002, saying it would be a temporary bulwark against Palestinian suicide bombers and gunmen who have killed hundreds of Israelis. However, the barrier’s zigzag through the West Bank brought allegations that Israel is unilaterally drawing a border and grabbing land by scooping up dozens of Jewish settlements.
Six years ago Friday, the International Court of Justice said in a nonbinding ruling that the barrier’s path through occupied territory violates international law and that Israel should tear down what it has built. Israel rejected the decision.
Today, the barrier, almost two-thirds complete, runs for more than 250 miles through the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories claimed by the Palestinians for a state.
Those who live in the “seam zone” between Israel and the barrier or have farm land there need special permits they can’t always obtain and cross through gates that aren’t always open, according to the U.N. report, issued on the anniversary of the world court ruling.
Walajeh’s fate appears to be sealed because it is virtually surrounded by Israeli settlements. The Israeli military would not comment on how villagers are to get in and out of their enclave.
“This is like putting my entire family in jail,” the father of three young boys said. “My children need to cross four gates to go to school.”
