Preliminary Analysis of the Humanitarian Implications of the April 2006 Barrier Projections
By the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)
July 08, 2006
On 30 April 2006, the Israeli cabinet approved a revised route of the West Bank Barrier and published a
map on the Ministry of Defense’s website, (www.seamzone.mod.gov.il). The previous map was released on
20 Feb 2005.2 Based on this revised map, the total length of the Barrier route will be 703 km long
compared to 670 km of the previous route.
In June 2002, the Government of Israel began construction of the Barrier following a series of suicide bombings and attacks by Palestinian militants on Israeli citizens. It maintained that the Barrier is a temporary structure to prevent such attacks on Israeli citizens. Since then, Israeli government officials have stated that the Barrier could have “political implications”.3
The major changes to the Barrier route from the previous route are detailed below and on the attached
maps. This report preliminarily analyzes the revised route and its humanitarian impact. A more extensive
technical analysis is forthcoming.
I. Status of the Barrier
Fifty-one percent (51%) of the West Bank Barrier
construction is completed (362 km), 13% is under
construction (88 km) and 36% remains marked as
planned (253 km). Of the completed sections, 42
km are concrete segment slabs and 320 km of the
Barrier consist of approximately 50 metres-wide
areas of fences, patrol roads, barbed wire,
tracking sands and an electronic observation
system.4
II. Humanitarian Impact
Palestinian population affected
- If the Barrier is completed based on the
current route, 60,500 West Bank Palestinians
living in 42 villages5 and towns will reside in
areas between the Barrier and the Green Line
or in closed areas. In the constructed parts of
the Barrier, people living in these areas must
obtain a permit to pass through a gate in
order to access health and education services,
jobs, and markets in the West Bank. Of these, 12 villages and about 31,400
Palestinians are particularly affected as they
will be both completely encircled by the
Barrier and on the west side of the Barrier.
Additionally, approximately 124,300
Palestinians living in 28 villages will be
located on the east side, but surrounded by
the Barrier on three sides and controlled on
the fourth with an associated physical
closure. The areas are Qalqiliya town, and
Biddya and Biddu areas.
- The Barrier route affects Palestinians living
on the West Bank side (east) of the Barrier,
who need to cross it to get to their farms,
jobs and maintain family connections. More
than 500,000 Palestinians, for example, live
within a one kilometre strip of the Barrier.
- About 44,709 Palestinian residents of
Qalqiliya city are encircled by the Barrier on
three sides. There are two openings to the
West Bank through the Barrier: the main one, is east through the Barrier and a
second one, is south through a tunnel under
the Barrier. Both openings are narrow and
have been closed periodically by the Israeli
security forces.
- Approximately one-quarter of the 230,000
Palestinians holding East Jerusalem
residency permits are located on the West
Bank side (east) of the Barrier. These East
Jerusalem ID card holders need to wait in
line to cross through one of four terminals
to access Jerusalem for daily services and
jobs.6
- The Barrier around Jerusalem and the
Ma’ale Adumim settlement group will
impede both movement into Jerusalem, and
north-south movement within the West
Bank by blocking roads currently used by
Palestinians. In January 2006, the IDF barred
West Bank Palestinians from using 8 of the
12 routes into Jerusalem, diverting them to
enter through terminal crossings with
extensive security checks.
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