Along much of the frontier separating Israel from the West Bank, there are either no barriers of any kind, or easily avoidable ones. In response to dozens of suicide bombings, and daily terrorist attacks against its civilians, Israel decided to construct a security fence near the “Green Line” to prevent Palestinian terrorists from infiltrating into Israel.

A large majority of Israelis support the construction of the security fence. Israelis living along the Green Line, both Jews and Arabs, favor the fence to prevent penetration by thieves and vandals as well as terrorists.

It is not unreasonable or unusual to build a fence for security purposes. Most nations have fences to protect their borders, and Israel already has fences along the frontiers with Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan, so building a barrier to separate Israel from the Palestinian Authority is not revolutionary.

A security fence already exists around the Gaza Strip and, to date, not one suicide bomber from that area has infiltrated Israel, while approximately 250 came from the West Bank in the last 33 months.

The fence is not expected to be impregnable. It is possible that some terrorists will manage to get past the barrier; nevertheless, the obstacle will undoubtedly make it far more difficult for incursions and thereby minimize the number of attacks.

The fence is meant to serve purely as a security barrier, not a political border, and Israel is making every effort to minimize the negative impact on Palestinians in the area of construction.

A growing number of Israelis have come to the conclusion that the best solution to the conflict with the Palestinians is separation. Once the fence is completed, Israel could decide to unilaterally withdraw behind the fence. Should Israel take unilateral action, the fence still need not demarcate a permanent political border. The Palestinians could negotiate a settlement whereby the fence would be moved or torn down. If the Palestinians live in peace with Israel, people and goods could flow freely back and forth; however, if the Palestinians remained committed to violence and unwilling to coexist with their Israeli neighbors, the barrier could be sealed.

Palestinians complain that the fence creates “facts on the ground,” but most of the area incorporated within the fence is expected to be part of Israel in any peace agreement with the Palestinians. Israeli negotiators have always envisioned the future border to be the 1967 frontier with modifications to minimize the security risk to Israel and maximize the number of Jews living within the State.

Though the Palestinians have taken some positive steps to implement the road map for peace, Israel must still take precautions in the event the process falters or the Palestinian Authority fails to stop terrorism. Finishing the fence is one of the most vital safeguards.

Palestinian charges that a fence would have the effect of creating a ghetto are nonsense. Prime Minister Sharon has accepted the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state on their side of the barrier.

After the fence is finished, Israel will have to decide whether to allow Jews to remain in communities on the “wrong” side of the fence (where they would not benefit from the security the fence provides), offer them compensation to move, or forcibly evacuate them to the Israeli side.

The security fence is expected to run approximately 200 miles. The fence will snake just east of the pre-1967 border and incorporate the largest Jewish cities in the West Bank. To date, approximately 85 miles of the fence is completed.

As part of the “Jerusalem Defense Plan,” building also has begun around three parts of Jerusalem, which has been the most frequent target of suicide bombers. When it is completed, the length of this section of the fence will run about 30 miles around the municipal boundaries of the city.

The security plan is not just for a simple fence; it will be a network of barriers, underground and long-range sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles, trenches, land mines and guard paths. Passage through the fence will only be possible through guarded gates.