Unlikely Lesson From Isreal & Palestine
From AP
JERUSALEM - America can look to Israel as a valuable test case as it contemplates construction of a fence along the Mexican border.
The Jewish state is largely achieving its goal of keeping out Palestinian suicide bombers through a sprawling complex of fences, electric sensors and concrete slabs that snake in and out of the West Bank. But building the barrier has been a gut-wrenching process, fraught with political and diplomatic hurdles, that has worsened Israel’s relations with its neighbors.
To be sure, there are key differences. Most important, the Israeli structure frequently juts into territory claimed by the Palestinians. The American fence would run along a recognized border.
Yet Mexican reaction to the U.S. plan sounded strikingly similar to long-standing Palestinian complaints that the solution is cruel, humiliating and fails to address deeper problems straining relations.
“I don’t think there is any parallel here because the U.S. does not occupy Mexican territory,” said Palestinian lawmaker Saeb Erekat, who has led past peace negotiations. “That said, concrete walls and fences will not make good neighbors. Trust, mutual cooperation and understanding are the fences that make good neighbors.”
This fence is the worst idea I've heard from the Bush administration in fucking forever - and that's really saying something. Besides, where the fuck are we going to get $2 billion from? What, are we going to stop occupying Iraq for a week to save up?
JERUSALEM - America can look to Israel as a valuable test case as it contemplates construction of a fence along the Mexican border.
The Jewish state is largely achieving its goal of keeping out Palestinian suicide bombers through a sprawling complex of fences, electric sensors and concrete slabs that snake in and out of the West Bank. But building the barrier has been a gut-wrenching process, fraught with political and diplomatic hurdles, that has worsened Israel’s relations with its neighbors.
To be sure, there are key differences. Most important, the Israeli structure frequently juts into territory claimed by the Palestinians. The American fence would run along a recognized border.
Yet Mexican reaction to the U.S. plan sounded strikingly similar to long-standing Palestinian complaints that the solution is cruel, humiliating and fails to address deeper problems straining relations.
“I don’t think there is any parallel here because the U.S. does not occupy Mexican territory,” said Palestinian lawmaker Saeb Erekat, who has led past peace negotiations. “That said, concrete walls and fences will not make good neighbors. Trust, mutual cooperation and understanding are the fences that make good neighbors.”
This fence is the worst idea I've heard from the Bush administration in fucking forever - and that's really saying something. Besides, where the fuck are we going to get $2 billion from? What, are we going to stop occupying Iraq for a week to save up?