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Sharon: Security Fence to be East of Ariel

(Ha'aretz) - Zvi Zrahiya The separation fence between Israel and the West Bank will be built east of Ariel, Prime Minister Sharon told the Likud Knesset faction Monday. He said that the cabinet will formally approve the fence's route at its meeting Wednesday. "The separation fence will be built east of Ariel and east of Kedumim," Sharon said. "If we reach a point where the matter once again creates a dispute, we will sit with the Americans again." Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the meeting, "Ariel, Kfar Sava, and Ra'anana are one and the same," comparing Ariel to two other bedroom communities of Tel Aviv. "This route brings 40,000 Israelis and 4,000 Palestinians" inside the fence. He added that an agreement had been reached with the Americans whereby construction of a fence east of Ariel would begin in conjunction with work on other segments of the fence. However, the fence east of Ariel will apparently not initially be connected to the main separation fence. Mofaz said, "If I thought that the conflict would end in another year, I would say that we don't need the fence. But the conflict is protracted, and any agreement is years away. There will be no significant breakthrough unless Arafat leaves the region."
2003-09-30 00:00:00
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