The Greater Jerusalem

Security Barrier Revisited

May 2008
The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem
 The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem

As approved by the Israeli Government in

.…April 2006, and

subject to the results of a number of cases…

pending before the Israeli High Court of
Justice, the most prominent of which
:relate to the route of the barrier

In the Ma’aleh Edumim Bloc *

In the Etzion Bloc *
Surrounding the Shuafat Refugee Camp *
Surrounding Sheikh Sa’ad *
 How We Define
Greater Jerusalem

Our definition of Greater Jerusalem is not

arbitrary. It derives from the distinct
metropolitan area designated by and included
:in the route of the barrier, and specifically

East Jerusalem
The Givat Ze’ev Bloc
The Etzion Bloc
The Ma’aleh Edumim Bloc

The Greater Jerusalem barrier consequently

extends from a point immediately south of
.Beit Surik, and to the north of Surif

• The length of the Israeli-Jordanian border

between 1949-1967. border between these two
points WAS 41 km.

• The length of the barrier, as currently routed,

between the same two points IS 217 km.
 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the Barrier
 Israeli Areas Beyond the
Green Line On the “Israeli”
Side of the Barrier

East Jerusalem

Includes the Israeli

:neighborhoods/settlements of

Gilo
Har Homa
East Talpiot
Ramot Eshkol/French Hill
Ramot
Reches Shuafat
Pisgat Ze’ev
Neve Yaacov
Messianic Settlements within existing Palestinian
)neighborhood )app. 2300 residents

Israeli Population: app. 190,000

.Area Beyond Green line: app. 68 sq. km

 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the
Barrier

Etzion Settlement Bloc

:Includes the settlements of

Efrata
Kfar Etzion
Migdal Oz
Neve Daniel
Gvaot
Alon Shvut
Elazar
Bat Ayin
Beitar Illit
Rosh Tsurim

Israeli Population: app. 47,000

.Area: app. 71 sq. km

 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the
Barrier

Ma’aleh Edumim Settlement Bloc

:Includes settlements of

Ma’aleh Edumim
Kfar Edumim
Alon
Almon
Qedar

Israeli Population: app. 37,000

.Area: app. 61 sq. km

 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the
Barrier

Givat Ze’ev Settlement Bloc

:Includes settlements of

Givat Ze’ev
Givon
Har Shmuel
Beit Horon

Israeli Population: app. 12,000

.Area: app. 25 sq. km

 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the
Barrier

Total Israeli Population and Area

Beyond the Green Line
In Greater Jerusalem

Israeli Population: app. 286,000

.Area: app. 225 sq. km

app. 4% of the(
)West Bank
The Underlying Concepts Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier
 The Underlying Concepts
Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier

:The Municipal Boundary Concept

The Rationale

• Much of the barrier is routed on or near the

Jerusalem Municipal Boundary.

• The route is based on two considerations, the

first formal, the second subliminal:

- This route is compatible with the Cabinet

decision to separate Israel from the West
Bank, since in the eyes of Israeli Law, East
Jerusalem is Israel.

- This route discloses an attempt to restore

the credibility of “eternally-united-
Jerusalem” after Camp David legitimized its
political division.
 The Underlying Concepts
Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier

:The Municipal Boundary Concept

The Problematics

• This route is oblivious to three key factors:

- The Municipal Boundary is recognized by

no other nation but Israel itself.

- The questions of borders and the status of

Jerusalem are final status issues to be
determined through negotiations, not by the
route of a barrier.

- Until the barrier, the Municipal Boundary

was a largely fictitious line on a map,
oblivious to the existing patterns of life. East
Jerusalem Palestinians remained deeply
connected in their everyday lives. On all
flanks but the southern, the barrier separates
Palestinian from Palestinian.
 The Underlying Concepts
Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier

:The Demographic Concept

The Rationale

• In two areas – the Shuafat Refugee Camp-

Anata ridge and Kafr Aq’b, the route has
been gerrymandered so as to exclude tens of
thousands of Palestinians from Jerusalem.

• The goal of this concept is to drastically

reduce the numbers of Palestinians in the
city, who were 25.5% of the population in
1967, and 34% today.

• This concept was implemented only in places

where there were additional considerations:

- The desire to “get rid” of Jerusalem’s only

refugee camp.

- The physical proximity of Kafr Aqb to

Ramallah.
 The Underlying Concepts
Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier

:The Demographic Concept

The Problematics

• The decision-makers were oblivious to two

key, related factors in determining this route.

- The border between East Jerusalem and

the West Bank is also an economic one: West
Bankers have a per capita GDP of app.$1150
per annum, with that of East Jerusalemites
app. $4000 per annum.

- The centers of life for the residents of the

refugee camp – the work place, schools,
hospitals, places of worship – are largely
inside Jerusalem

* In a classic example of “The Law of

Unintended Consequences”, the demographic
motivation of the barrier has caused tens of
thousands of Palestinians to return to the city
– and consequently the barrier has led to an
increase in the number f actual Palestinian
residents ling in East Jerusalem.
 The Underlying Concepts
Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier

:The Greater Jerusalem Concept

The Rationale

• Initially opposed to the barrier, Ariel Sharon

came to see it as an opportunity to
unilaterally determine the permanent border
between Israel and Palestine, in coordination
with the United States.

• The route discloses an attempt to include as

much land, and as few Palestinian residents
in the three Settlement Blocs to the North,
East and South of Jerusalem.

• The goal is to establish an Israeli territorial

sphere of influence not only in “united
Jerusalem”, but in Greater Jerusalem.
 The Underlying Concepts
Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier

:The Greater Jerusalem Concept

The Problematics

The route disclosed by the “Greater Jerusalem

Concept” creates major difficulties for any
future political resolution of the conflict, and
already has dire humanitarian ramifications.
.We will deal with both these issues below
 The Underlying Concepts
Disclosed by
the Route of the Barrier

:The Final Route

A Hybrid of Three Concepts

The route of the barrier in Greater

Jerusalem is consequently a hybrid of
three, not always compatible, concepts
:being implemented simultaneously

• The Municipal Boundary Concept.

• The Demographic Concept.

• The Greater Jerusalem Concept.

The Impact of the Barrier on
Palestinian Greater Jerusalem
 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the
Barrier

East Jerusalem

The barrier detaches the Palestinian

neighborhoods of East Jerusalem from their
natural and historic hinterland in the West
.Bank

Not being citizens of Israel, this detachment of

these residents does not indicate the
integration of Palestinian East Jerusalemites
.into Israel

Palestinian Population: app. 225,000

 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the
Barrier
The Primary Enclaves

The route of the barrier in Greater Jerusalem,

also entraps Palestinian residents of the West
Bank inside the Israeli Settlement Blocs, most
.in geographically distinct enclaves

Palestinian Population in the Primary

:Enclaves
Walajeh Enclave: app. 1700
Battir Enlave: app.11,000
Nahalin Enclave: app. 2500

In addition, Palestinian residents are entrapped

within settlement blocs, outside clearly
:defined enclaves

Ma’aleh Edumim Bloc: app. 3000

Givat Ze’ev Bloc: app. 200

Palestinian Population inside “Israeli”

Settlement Blocs : 18,400
 Areas Beyond the Green Line
On the “Israeli” Side of the
Barrier

Secondary Enclaves

In addition to Palestinians entrapped within the

settlement blocs, the route of the Barrier
creates secondary enclaves: areas completely
.surrounded by the barrier or a secured road

These areas are not on the “Israeli” side of the

barrier, yet are detached from the Palestinian
West Bank, except by means of a an
:“umbilical cord”-like road or roads

Palestinian Population in the Secondary

:Enclaves
Bir Naballa: app. 15,000
Anata Enclave: app. 39,000

Total Population in
Secondary Enclaves : app. 54,000
 The Dismemberment of
the West Bank

The route of the Barrier, and the Settlement

Blocs incorporated by it into the
“Israeli” side, disrupt the contiguity of
.the Palestinian West Bank

Given the topography, this virtually

dismembers the West Bank into two
.cantons, the northern and the southern
 The Cantonization of
Greater Jerusalem

Total Palestinian Population

:Inside the Barrier

In the Primary Enclaves: app. 15,200

,Inside the Settlement Blocs
but outside the enclaves: app. 3200
In East Jerusalem: app. 225,000
Total: app. 243,400

Total Population on “Israeli” side of the

:Barrier

Palestinian - app. 243,400

Israeli - app. 286,000

Palestinian Population inside

the Secondary Enclaves: app. 54,000
 Strategic Infrastructures:
the Barrier and the Road Grid
 Strategic Infrastructures:
the Road Grid
The Israeli Road Grid

The road grid in Greater Jerusalem is comprised

of major arteries that incorporate the
.Settlement Blocs into Israel

• Most of these roads, like Route No. 1 and the

Tunnel Road, link the Blocs to Jerusalem,
while Route 443 creates a Jerusalem-Tel Aviv
link. Route No. 1 creates a Jerusalem- Jordan
Valley link.

• Most of these roads are not accessible to

Palestinian residents of the West Bank.

• Some, like the Beitar Illit Road and Route

443, serve as barriers, contributing to the
cantonization of the Palestinian West Bank.

• The Hizma-Az Za’ayyem road is walled, with

Israeli traffic on the East, Palestinian on the
West. creating a sealed 16-meter-wide
conduit for Palestinian traffic through the
Ma’aleh Edumim Settlement Bloc.
 Strategic Infrastructures:
The Road Grid
The Palestinian Road Grid

The Palestinian road grid discloses the

:following goals

• Diversion of West Bank traffic around East

Jerusalem, so that no West Bank resident
may enter the city.

• Creating patterns of movement whereby

roads inside the Settlement Blocs will be
devoid of Palestinian traffic. This, and the
seal of East Jerusalem, divert Palestinian
traffic to circuitous, sometimes torturous
routes, like the Ramallah-Bethlehem Wadi
Naar Route.

• Creation of a road grid whereby Israelis and

Palestinians travel on separate roads even, in
the same limited geographical space. The
segregated Hizma-Az Za’ayyem road is the
starkest example.

• An attempt to establish the credibility of an

Israeli claim to “Palestinian Transportational
Contiguity”.
 Strategic Infrastructures:
The Road Grid

The Death of the Historic Routes

Until the construction of the barrier, Jerusalem

remained linked to its environs by roads
.based on the ancient Biblical routes

Three of the four routes that commenced at

Jerusalem’s Old City – the Nablus Road, the
Jericho Road and the Hebron Road – now
end a few kilometers away, where they meet a
.wall
 Strategic Infrastructures:
The Road Grid
The Bi-national Road Grid

Juxtaposition of the Israeli and Palestinian road

:grids discloses

• The creation of distinct and separate roads

for Israelis* and Palestinians in the same,
overlapping geographical area.

• Strategic road infrastructure geared to

physically incorporate the three Settlement
Blocs into Israel proper.

• Upon completion of the Hizma-Az Za’ayyem

partitioned road, the only road that will be
shared by Israelis and West Bankers will be
the Al Khadr-Migdal Oz segment of the
Hebron Road.

• With the exception of the sealed, partitioned

Hizma-Az Za’ayyem road, Palestinian traffic
is diverted to routes outside of East
Jerusalem and the Settlement Blocs.

* For the purposes of road access, the Palestinians of

East Jerusalem are to be included in the definition of
“Israeli”.
The Current State of Construction
 The Physical State of the
Barrier
May 2008

The Completed Segments of the Barrier

• Of the 217 km. of barrier in Greater

Jerusalem app. 86 km. have been completed.

• The portions completed are primarily located

in the urban or semi-urban built-up areas of
East Jerusalem and its environs.

• Consequently the impact of the barrier is

already clearly felt by most of the population.

Segments of barrier
completed: app. 86 km.
 The Physical State of the
Barrier
May 2008

The Segments of the Barrier

Under Construction

• Of the 217 km. of barrier in Greater

Jerusalem, app. 42 km. are currently under
construction.

• With the exception of construction on the

southern flank of Anata, the construction is
primarily located in the outlying Settlement
Blocs.

Segments of barrier
under construction: app. 42 km.
 The Physical State of the
Barrier
May 2008

The Pre-Construction Planned Barrier

• Of the 217 km. of barrier in Greater

Jerusalem app. 89 km. have been approved
)some subject to pending court proceedings(,
yet the construction has not yet commenced..

• The segments of the barrier where

construction has not yet commenced are
located exclusively on the perimeters of the
Settlement Blocs.

Segments of pre-construction
planned barrier: app. 89 km.
 The Physical State of the
Barrier
May 2008

:The Completed Barrier

.km 86

:The Barrier Under Construction

.km 42

:The Pre-construction Planned Barrier

.km 89
Q: Is it a wall or a fence?

. A: Both
 ?Wall or Fence

The Wall

• Even the terminology relating to the barrier

has given rise to polemical debate: is it a
fence or a wall?

• Most of the barrier is indeed a “fence

system”, 40-70 meters wide, which includes
double-fencing, electronic sensors, patrol
roads, tracking paths, anti-vehicular ditches
etc.

• In places where the necessary 40-70 meters

are not available – primarily in urban built-
up areas and along major Israeli arteries - a
wall, generally 9 meters high, is constructed.

The segments of the

Greater Jerusalem
.barrier that are wall: 37 km
 ?Wall or Fence

The Fence

The segments of the barrier in Greater

Jerusalem that are fence are located primarily:

• on the perimeters of the outlying Settlement

Blocs.

• on the semi-urban, semi-rural neighborhoods

in the southeastern and northeastern fringes
of East Jerusalem.

The segments of the

Greater Jerusalem
.barrier that are fence: 180 km
 ?Wall or Fence

Wall AND Fence

The segments of the

Greater Jerusalem
.barrier that are wall: 37 km

The segments of the

Greater Jerusalem
.barrier that are fence: 180 km
The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem:
Provisional Conclusions
 The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem

Interim Conclusions

:Security

• Physical barriers are a legitimate defensive

measure in the war on terror, when used in
the appropriate times and places.

• The barrier in Greater Jerusalem has indeed

contributed to a reduction of terror )though
other factors – intelligence, exhaustion, and
the political climate have made their own
contributions(.

• Given the close proximity of Israeli and

Palestinian populations, there is no “good”
route for the barrier. That said, the route of
the barrier in Greater Jerusalem discloses
political motives that have little to do with
operational considerations.
 The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem
Interim Conclusions

:Security

• Compelling issues raise questions concerning

the efficacy of the barrier over time:

- In order to be effective, and given its length

and nature, the barrier will require resources
and energies from Israel that may not be
sustainable over time.
- The detachment of the East Jerusalem from
the West Bank, which is critical for the
efficiency of the barrier, may well radicalize
the close to 250,000 Palestinians entrapped on
the “Israeli” side.
The Conclusions:
Whatever its merits as a limited tactical tool )and
it indeed has merits(, the route of the barrier in
Greater Jerusalem does not augur well, over time,
for a non-violent equilibrium between Israelis
and Palestinians.
 The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem

Interim Conclusions

:The Humanitarian Dimension

• The current route of the barrier – detaching

East Jerusalem from its environs, and
cantonizing its periphery – has a detrimental
humanitarian impact on virtually every walk
of life: family ties, employment, economic
viability, freedom of movement and worship,
etc.

• Nowhere has the existence of the barrier

proved consistent with the dignified
movement of people, goods and services.

• These humanitarian issues, as well as the

establishment of separate infrastructures
based on national identity, are not, in the long
run compatible with the democratic values of
Israel.
 The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem

Interim Conclusions

:The Conclusions

While streamlining the checkpoints and terminals

may mitigate some of the negative impact of the
barrier, and the creation of a “breathing” border
regime, these cannot adequately address the
humanitarian issues. In the long run, the current
route of the barrier is not sustainable.
 The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem
Interim Conclusions
:The Political Dimension
• The current route of the barrier:
- detaches East Jerusalem from the West
Bank.
- Dismembers the northern and southern
halves of the West Bank.
- cantonizes the Palestinian metropolitan
area.
- undermines the geographical integrity of
the Palestinian West Bank.
- incorporates 4% of the West Bank into
Israel.

• The cumulative impact of these discloses a

perception whereby there is only one national
collective in Greater Jerusalem, alongside a
dismembered community comprised of
individuals from whom any genuine right to
self-determination is denied.

• None of the above is compatible with the

“two-state solution”, which requires a viable
contiguous Palestinian state.
 The Route of the Barrier
in Greater Jerusalem
Interim Conclusions
:The Conclusions
• The notion that the current route of the
barrier, or some minor variation thereof, is
the basis of a political resolution of the
conflict is more a fantasy than a credible
option.

• The Israeli claim that the barrier is a

reversible step has merit. Coupled with
settlement activity within the barrier –
thereby creating new facts on the ground –
this claim loses much of its validity.

• As a “stand-alone” product, the Greater

Jerusalem barrier is incompatible with the
“two-state solution”. Coupled with settlement
activity inside the blocs, it may be the death
knell of that solution.

• The current route of the barrier makes it ever

more imperative to effect a settlement freeze
inside East Jerusalem and the settlement
blocs.