Palestinians may have to leave enclaves

Source: AP, 24-1-2007
Jerusalem (al-Quds) - A report by an "Israeli" watchdog group has warned that "Israel`s" Apartheid barrier along and in the West Bank might force thousands of Palestinian villagers to leave their homes because they are cut off from the world.
Around 250 000 Palestinians in the West Bank will live in 21 enclaves, cut off from their communities, jobs and education in nearby towns, once "Israel" completes building its separation barrier - according to the report by Bimkom, an "Israeli" planning rights group. The report was released on Monday.
Many of the affected Palestinians would eventually leave, warned Alon Cohen-Lipshitz, one of the report`s authors.
"The planners of the barrier want a quiet transfer," or removal of the population, he said.
Palestinians are already moving away from their communities in areas where the separation barrier is already built, the report said.
The report cited the case of Mahmoud Subeih, 59. He used to live in Azzaim village close to Jerusalem (al-Quds), where he worked and his children attended school. He moved to Jerusalem after his village was surrounded by the barrier in 2003, turning a 10-minute drive down the road into a two-hour journey with a checkpoint search.
"Israeli" Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said "I understand for Palestinians the fence can bring about a degree of inconvenience and its our obligation as a government to minimise that, but if one puts on the scale quality of life and life and death, life has to have paramount importance."
Palestinians have accused "Israel" of grabbing land under the guise of security and using the barrier to unilaterally set the borders of a future Palestinian state. "Israel" maintains that the barrier, including eight-metre concrete walls, is a temporary security measure.