Barrier rerouted

ISRAEL’S cabinet voted yesterday to modify the route of its contentious West Bank separation barrier to put thousands of Palestinians on the “Palestinian” side of the enclosure.

The Palestinians, who live in the area of the Jewish settlement of Ariel, were slated in the original proposal to be included on the “Israeli” side of the barrier, Israeli officials said.

Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he wants the barrier concluded by year end.