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Israeli PM vows to keep fence in West Bank

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-07-22 22:15

JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday said that Israel is not to demolish the separation fence in the West Bank, as the barrier constitutes "a critical component" of his country's security.

Amid increasing tensions between Israel and the Palestinians at the start of this decade, the Jewish state embarked on a highly controversial project to build a fence blocking off the West Bank. Several hundred kilometers of the barrier has so far been completed.

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The fence has proven helpful to restore security and prevent Palestinian suicide bombers and militants from entering Israeli towns, Netanyahu told a televised parliamentary session after being summoned to the legislature to explain his diplomatic and economic policies.

"Today I hear people say that because it's quiet the fence can be removed. On the contrary... it is quiet because we have the fence, and this is in addition to the Israel Defense Forces' activity, of course," he said.

In light of the improved security situation in the West Bank, the Palestinian leadership has reportedly relayed a message to the US government, demanding that the fence, which critics say has effectively turned the Palestinian territories into a prison, be removed.

However, Netanyahu said on Wednesday that although Israel welcomes the improvement the Palestinian security organizations have achieved, the separation fence will "remain where it is" and "will not be dismantled."

The barrier construction has incurred extensive condemnation by the international community, and many Palestinians accuse Israel of attempting to grab land under the guise of security. In 2004, the International Court of Justice ruled that the fence runs "contrary to international law."

During the session, the premier also noted that his government's defense policy has successfully deterred Palestinian militants from firing rockets at Israel, and reiterated his demand that any future Palestinian state be demilitarized.