Thank you for “Wall casts shadow on Arabs in Bethlehem; Israeli security barrier isolates Palestinian residents as pilgrims are allowed easy entry” (Page 1, Dec. 21), by Joel Greenberg, Tribune foreign correspondent.
Greenberg misses the primary point: that Israel’s “Apartheid Wall” is primarily dedicated to protect Israeli settlements and Israeli settlers and it mainly “snakes” (to use President Bush’s term) and meanders on Palestinian territory.
The wall is confiscating even more Palestinian land and drawing an illegal de-facto “permanent” border.
It is 450 miles long and reaches 30 feet high, versus the Berlin Wall’s 96-mile length and average 11.8-foot height.
It penetrates deeply into the Palestinian heartland, divides up towns and separates farmers from their lands, children from schools, hospitals from patients and family members from each other.
I also noticed that your article introduces new Israeli-crafted vocabulary labeling the detestable checkpoints “terminals.”
Perhaps next time it will be upgraded to “salons” or “red carpet clubs”?
The excuse of “security” and “suicide bombers” is a fake one, since it is mainly built on Palestinian land.
We need a courageous president to demand:
“Mr. Sharon, tear down the wall.”
