A Conflict Resolution for the Wall

Israeli West Bank barrier, also known as “the wall,” is a separation barrier in the West Bank. It is built by the Israeli government in 2003 according to the 1949 Armistice Line. This line is around 700 kilometers long and separates around 10 % of the West Bank and 23,000 Palestinians from other territories. Israeli builds “the wall” for the security problem in the West Bank and the protection of local Israeli citizens. However, Palestine regards “the wall” as a barrier to mutual communication and a refusal of peaceful negotiations.

In 1969, Israel and Jordan signed the Armistice Agreement to define the Armistice Lines to cease the fire. After the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel turns the Armistice Lines into the permanent borders for the Israeli security. Later, after Jordan was officially recognized as Palestine, Palestine claimed the West Bank as its territory. But Israel built “the wall” eastward from the Armistice Lines and divided the West Bank into two parts. Also, “the wall” separated some Palestinians from other parts of the West Bank and left them isolated. Israel claims its behaviors as the protection from its citizens from terrorism, but the unilateral decision incurs Palestine’s complaints and disagreements.

On one side, the Israeli government argues that “the wall” is built to protect its citizens from terrorist attacks, especially after the Second Intifada period. Statistics show that “the wall” does make its expected effect reduce the terrorist attacks in the West Bank. There were 73 suicide bombings in the West Bank from 2000 to 2003, but there were only 12 from 2003 to 2006. And “the wall” was built according to the geological situation in order to protect its citizens from terrorism effectively. Thus, even though “the wall” doesn’t fully match with the Armistice Lines, it is reasonable for the protective function. The effectiveness of the barrier confirms Israel’s determination to keep this barrier as long as there are potential security threats in the West Bank. However, Palestine takes “the wall” as Israel’s refusal of peaceful negotiations and harmonious co-existence. The unilateral decision is an insult of Palestine’s authority, and the concern of terrorist attacks is simply an excuse to cover its reluctance of cooperation. “The wall” restricts Palestinians’ communication with Israeli people and makes it difficult for people of these two countries to cooperate with each other. Palestine argues that the decreasing number of terrorist attacks in the West Bank is not due to the construction of the barrier, but the increasing militants of these two countries. Palestine argues that Israel tries to limit Palestinians’ freedom, occupy more Palestine’s land, and impair Palestine’s economic development. The barrier causes great complaints and oppositions among the affected population, which increases the security threat instead of eliminating it.

The resolution of this conflict is to define a clear border through negotiations and encourage the mutual communication. The United Nations enacted Security Council Resolution 1544 in 2004 to require Israel to set the barrier within its territory under the international law and solve the security problem in accordance with its obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention. If the security problem is the main reason for the construction of “the wall,” then these two countries could come up with other methods to solve the terrorist concerns in the West Bank so that “the wall” could be dismantled. It is essential to define a clear border between these two countries to avoid any conflict related to the border problem. And any problem related to the boundary should be negotiated by both sides. It is illegal and immoral to make decisions unilaterally. The best resolution to solve terrorist problems is to promote mutual communications and understandings.

In order to achieve this resolution, Israel should take a cooperative attitude in negotiations. Palestine should stress the negative impacts of this barrier on Palestinians. If Israel keeps making decisions unilaterally, it will cause protests from the affected population in the West Bank, which increases the terrorist threat in this region. Israel should pay the debt of any violence related to its irresponsible behaviors. Palestine should assist Israel to solve its terrorist concerns. The United Nations could be asked to get involved in the negotiation to reach a peaceful consensus.