Removal of Gilo barrier

Last week the security forces began removing the barrier around Gilo, a southern suburb of Jerusalem. The barrier was a 600 m long 4 m high concrete wall that was installed in 2001 to prevent sniper fire from the neighboring Palestinian Arab town of Beit Jala, near Bethlehem. Although Beit Jala is a mainly Christian Arab town, and quite friendly to Israeli Jews, Palestinian Muslim terrorists had invaded Beit Jala during the last intifada in 2000 and were using the houses there as vantage points to shoot at the houses in Gilo. Several people were killed and it became impossible to live normally in Gilo. Of course, the IDF shot back, destroying some of the houses in Gilo. But it didn't stop the sniping, so the IDF came up with the solution of installing a security wall, just like the security barrier that was installed along the "green line" between Israel and the West Bank (although most of that is a wire fence). This Gilo Wall worked very well, sniping was prevented, and life returned to normal. Gradually the terrorists moved out and the inhabitants reclaimed their homes. Since there has been quiet on this border for a few years now, the time had come at the request of the Gilo inhabitants and the Jerusalem municipality, to remove the barrier. This was done without fanfare last week. This is also a case of the IDF helping Christian Arabs to return to a normal life.

One reason why it is important to note this event is that people had scoffed that the West Bank barrier would never be removed. It may in fact become a border between Israel and any future Palestine State. But, as the removal of the Gilo barrier shows, it can easily be removed if the circumstances warrant. As we said at the time, the security barrier, just as the Gilo Wall, saves lives, and if there is no terrorism there will be no need for such a barrier.