Friday, January 9, 2004
Clifford May writes about the common sense and common nature of Israel's fence in today's Frontpage. Good fences make good neighbors. Construction of the fence may help push the Palestinians to see the writing on the wall (so to speak) and allow a disengagement that could help calm the waters a bit.
Self-Defense Fence By Clifford D. May
As noted, security barriers are not a new innovation – not even in Israel. On my first visit to that country -- a fact-finding trip taken with former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp and Senator Frank Lautenberg shortly after 9/11 -- I visited Gilo, a community in suburban Jerusalem that overlooks a valley in which the scenic Palestinian village of Bet Jallah spreads out. From Bet Jallah, snipers had repeatedly fired at Israeli children as they walked to school. A concrete wall was erected to stop the bullets.
On that wall, Israelis had painted a picture of Bet Jallah -- a poignant reminder of the neighbors who had become too dangerous even to gaze upon.
And don't miss this story, Palestinian PM Says Two-State Solution in Danger, in which Ahmed Qurie performs the finest in Palestinian foot stomping by threatening the ultimate suicide attack - the voluntary disollution of the PA - only this time no one will be hurt. Now of course, there are things the PM could do, like taking a stroll down to the Education Ministry and getting hold of some of those text books that teach the kids to hate Israel and Jews and changing the lesson plan, but then that would require some acceptance of personal responsibility, wouldn't it?
