After further inquiry, field work investigation and map analysis, the Applied Research Institute- Jerusalem has succeeded to draw a map of Sharon's actual motive behind his security plan in the West Bank, that of creation of an apartheid system in the territories.
West Bank Map Analysis
Besides the Israeli closure policy imposed on Palestinian town and cities since the beginning of Al-Aqsa Intifada two years ago, the West Bank- according to the new separation policy- will be fragmented into 8 blocks, creating 64 Palestinian ghettos. These ghettos are surrounding by 46 permanent checkpoints and 126 roadblocks. From May 2002, Israel started to implement an apartheid regime, Palestinian residents need special permits issued by the Israeli Civil Administration, Israeli's military government (as those 'passbooks' used in South Africa), for travel between Palestinian cities and cantons within the West Bank and Gaza.
According to Sharon's military plan of separation, the West Bank will be divided into three longitudinal slices: Western-Northern Security Slice, Eastern Security Slice and the Remaining Palestinian areas in the middle. See map
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The Western-Northern Security Slice (red in map)- extends alongside the 'Green line' from the Palestinian city of Jenin in the northern boundaries of the West Bank down to Hebron in the south. This security zone has a total area of 1328 Km2, which is 23.4% of total area of the West Bank. Also, it will enclose 118 Israeli settlements.
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The Eastern Security Slice (yellow in map)- includes the Jordan Valley and the shores of the Dead Sea with a total area of 1237 Km2 (21.9 % of the West Bank); 40 Israeli settlements are included within boundaries of this zone.
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The Remaining Palestinian area– includes main urban Palestinian cites (Area A) and part of Area B. This area is already fragmented into 64 ghettos, surrounded by 46 Israeli permanent checkpoints and 126 roadblocks. The total area of this fragmented region is 3096 Km2, which amounts to 54 % of the total area of the West Bank. The table below summarizes the above-mentioned data:
|
Total area of the Security zones |
2565 Km2 (45.25 % of West Bank Total Area) |
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Total area of the remaining Palestinian area |
3096 Km2 |
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Total number of Israeli settlements inside the security zones |
158 (-out of 223 Israeli settlements) |
|
Palestinian population inside security zones |
267,700* (17 % of total Palestinian population in the West Bank) |
Source: Applied Research Institute, GIS Database, 2002
*1997 Palestinian Census (Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics).
Prepared by:
The Applied Research Institute – Jerusalem
