Israel to reroute separation fence following High Court ruling

[Gimel]

A considerable section of Highway 443 between Jerusalem and Modi'in will remain outside the separation fence in light of June's ruling by the High Court of Justice to reroute the fence closer to the 1967 Green Line border, Colonel (res.) Danny Terza, the head administrator in the Defense Ministry overseeing construction of the fence, told the Knesset’s Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee on Monday.

According to Terza, defense officials are preparing to install protective counter-terrorist measures for this segment of the highway, which connects Beit Horon and the Maccabim roadblock. Terza also said that the army will install 12 openings in the fence, one every 5 kilometers, in line with the court's ruling.

The changes are expected to cost an additional NIS 25 to 35 million. Terza said that 100 kilometers of the fence's 200-km route will veer into the territories, while the other half will stay inside or along the Green Line.

Terza also announced that the Defense Ministry expects to complete the portion of the fence from Jerusalem to Elkana by 2005, one year after originally scheduled.

{link:www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/468223.html|Continued...]

A section of an Israeli highway outside the security fence will be difficult to protect from attack. No protection of Israelis returning home from work, Nothing changes.