Jerusalem Separation Barrier

Just a quick pic or two of an article I am preparing for The Jerusalem Post's In Jerusalem local Friday edition about the "Jerusalem Envelope" being more hurriedly established around the city in the wake of the suicide bombing in the vicinity of the old bus station in Tel Aviv over Passover.

Apparently, as I wrote in a blog entry at Little Green Footballs immediately after the attack, the terrorist, who originated in a village near Jenin in the northern West Bank gained entry to Israel via gaps in the still unfinished wall and fence surrounding Jerusalem's eastern bout, at least according to initial reports by Israeli security officials. Maybe here, maybe further north at the capital's northern tiers.

The veteran neighborhood of close to 40,000 inhabitants, situated on Jerusalem's southern edge facing, what was at least, once-Christian Palestinian Beit Jala across a green ravine a about a mile-plus away, was also the target of sporadic mortar and sniping attacks from Palestinian Authority areas over the last few years - with a recent attempt about a month ago to fire some eight mortars into the area foiled by Israeli security forces.

I took a walk through the area this morning 27/04/06 and noted the bulletproof glass installed in one-room-per-apartment to provide refuge against the shooting from the Palestinian areas.

I live close by, and note the daily stream of Palestinians coming into Jerusalem for work, commerce, etc, as they trudge their way up the hill and take the early No. 30, 31 and 32 morning buses into town with Gilo residents.

Police and Civil Guard patrols regularly cover area, but commonly do not bother the Palestinians, except for time-to-time ID checks. I ride with them regularly on those bus lines.

Pics of the area in the next blog entry...