Former Jerusalem Official Says Israel Must Keep Building Security Fence
by Chad Groening
April 2, 2004
(AgapePress) - Former police chief of Jerusalem Aryeh Amit says while the Israeli government does not like the idea of erecting a security fence to keep Palestinian terrorists out, it is a necessary tool to protect his country's citizens.Amit says while his country intends to continue to negotiate with the Palestinians, it has no choice but to move ahead with construction of the security fence. That structure has been condemned by the International Court of Justice in the Hague.
However, the former police chief says the fence helps protect Israeli citizens from homicide bombers and other terrorists. "This is simply a tool that can help the secret service and the Israeli Army and the police force to defend civilians inside Israel. Once we shall feel that we are going towards some kind of negotiations to peace or even to some agreement, then this fence will be torn to pieces. But until then we need it simply to help us defend ourselves -- that's it," he says.
According to Amit, Israel would rather not have to constantly go after terrorist leaders that pose an ongoing threat to its citizens. "We really do only what we have to do in order to defend ourselves," he says.
The former law enforcement official adds that the fence between Israel and the Palestinian Authority is being built in part to prevent the necessity of violent retaliations by Israel because, he says, "we will kill their leaders until we shall feel that we are safer."
Amit says it is far better to prevent terrorist attacks than to have to avenge them. He says his government will not stop construction of the security fence until it can be assured that Palestinian violence against the Israeli people is no longer a threat.
