Israel begins barrier section after suicide attack

Responding to a public outcry after a bloody Palestinian attack, Israeli bulldozers began flattening land for a separation barrier in a part of the West Bank that has been ignored up to now.

The work began south-west of Hebron, the main Palestinian centre in the southern West Bank, days after two suicide bombers from the town crossed the unmarked frontier into Israel and blew up buses, killing 16 people.

The construction, which began yesterday, came ahead of a visit by two senior Egyptian officials to the Palestinian areas to discuss Israel’s planned withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.

Israel refuses to negotiate with the Palestinians, and Egypt has stepped in as a mediator, offering to help ensure security in Gaza after the pullout.

The Gaza withdrawal, planned for next year, and the separation barrier are key elements of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s “disengagement” plan.

Sharon, claiming there is no Palestinian negotiating partner, has proposed the unilateral steps to separate Israelis and Palestinians after four years of fighting. The Palestinians accuse Sharon of using the plan to consolidate control of large chunks of the West Bank.