Israel approves barrier plans

Israel’s cabinet today approved final details of a plan to surround Jerusalem with a barrier – despite angry protests by Palestinians who say Israel is redrawing the disputed city’s boundaries and shifting its demographic balance in favour of Jews.

The cabinet acknowledged that some 55,000 Palestinian residents in four neighbourhoods will eventually be cut off from their city by the separation barrier, meant to stop Palestinian bombers, and promised to come up with a plan by September 1 on how to alleviate some of the hardships.