(CPOD) Feb. 18, 2004 – Israel’s controversial security fence has the support of a majority of Americans, according to a poll by Ipsos-Public Affairs. With the International Court of Justice (ICJ) set to begin a hearing on the legality of the matter on Feb. 23, 68 per cent of respondents agree that Israel has the right to construct the barrier as a means of defending itself from terrorism.
(CPOD) Feb. 18, 2004 – Israel’s controversial security fence has the support of a majority of Americans, according to a poll by Ipsos-Public Affairs. With the International Court of Justice (ICJ) set to begin a hearing on the legality of the matter on Feb. 23, 68 per cent of respondents agree that Israel has the right to construct the barrier as a means of defending itself from terrorism.
The Israeli cabinet approved the army’s plans for the West Bank security fence on Oct. 1, 2003. Prime minister Ariel Sharon has repeatedly insisted that the fence, parts of which are constructed with solid concrete, is merely a temporary measure, an “interim arrangement of non-belligerency.” Mahrouf Zahran, the mayor of the West Bank town of Qalqiliya, contends that the aim of the fence is to “strangle” Palestinians economically and to force them to leave the area.
More than 200 kilometres of the fence –ranging in height from six to eight metres– have already been completed at a cost of approximately $400 million U.S. The entire project is expected to cost over $1 billion U.S. The course of the fence, rather than its presence, has been the main point of contention internationally. Instead of reinforcing the Green Line –the boundary decided upon following the six-day war in 1967 between Israel and its Arab neighbours– the fence protrudes into the West Bank at many locations.
The security barrier that encircles the Gaza Strip, after which the West Bank version is modeled, has proved effective at halting Palestinian infiltration into Israel. No successful terrorist attacks have been launched from the territory in the last three years. Comparatively, more than a hundred suicide bombers have entered Israel from the West Bank in the past 42 months, killing at least 455 people.
Polling Data
Do you agree that Israel has the right to build a security fence to halt terrorism inside its territory?
Agree | 68% |
Disagree | 22% |
Source: Ipsos-Public Affairs
Methodology: Interviews to 1,000 American adults, conducted from Jan. 23 to Jan. 25, 2004. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
