A dangerous hole in our defenses

It is difficult to argue that the separation fence does not contribute to security and that there are not dangerous security breaches in places where it does not exist.

The fence, only a small portion of which is a concrete wall, provokes a considerable amount of animosity, some of it justified. Over the years, the main argument against it, mostly from the Palestinian side, have been that it: creates divisions along ethnic lines; in some places confines civilians to closed-off, fenced areas; prevents farmers from accessing their lands; damages the prospect for coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians; and makes it extremely hard for the Palestinians to develop their economy.

Several of these arguments reached the High Court of Justice. In some cases, where the fence was deemed to have disproportionately impaired the lives of Palestinians, the court ordered that the fence be rerouted.

From the Israeli side, too, there has been derision, albeit to a lesser extent, mainly over concerns that the fence would delineate and stunt the possible expansion of communities in Judea and Samaria, and that it would even define the future border between the two countries. Against this backdrop, the wall was not built in some places, despite repeated promises by the political echelon to finish the job.

But from a security standpoint it remains hard to argue that the fence is unnecessary. Alongside the IDF's and Shin Bet security agency's intensive, daily efforts in Palestinian cities to thwart terrorist attacks, the fence was and still is the main reason for the dramatic decrease in Palestinian terrorism, which has fallen from hundreds of people killed every year at the peak of the Second Intifada to fewer than 10 casualties thus far this year.

Figures presented by the Shin Bet clearly show that the scope of terrorism has plummeted in areas adjacent to the fence, such as Hadera, Netanya and Afula, all popular targets during the Second Intifada. Furthermore, from the moment the fence was built in northern Samaria, the dark cloud of terror dissipated there almost entirely, and vice versa: Areas bereft of the fence are still under constant threat. The South Hebron Hills region in particular is a perpetual springboard for terrorists trying to infiltrate Israel (and for illegal migrants seeking work). The terrorists who carried out the attack in Tel Aviv's Sarona Market last year entered Israel unhindered from the village of Yatta in the South Hebron Hills.

Efrat Forsher's exclusivestory proves that despite terrorist attacks and all the promises, breaches still exist. The illicit road paved under the IDF's nose was likely for economic purposes and for Palestinians seeking work, but it could easily become a terror highway.

Those who want to help the Palestinian economy can build industrial zones, remove bureaucratic obstacles and grant official work permits to illegal migrants. The current situation represents a dangerous hole in Israeli defenses. Ignoring it is a particularly egregious option, as it invites those with intentions far more nefarious than merely trying to earn a modest living.

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