Taking his campaign to succeed Yasser Arafat to the foot of Israel's West Bank barrier, interim
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas says there will be no peace until Israel tears it down.
OK, this sounds like he is saying that the wall is causing such pain that Palestinians cannot accept it as part of a peace plan. More than debatable, but it sounds reasonable as al-Reuters says it.
'No (Middle East) peace can transpire with (Jewish) settlements and the wall,' Abbas said on Wednesday,
Oh, sorry. He is THREATENING Israel with more terror unless Israel tears down the wall meant to stop terror! That's much different! But Reuters has to tone that impression down, adding...
with his back to the towering concrete divide that virtually encircles the town of Qalqilya near the West Bank's boundary with Israel.
Threat? What threat? Only Israel threatens anyone, as al-Reuters knows well.
Then al-Reuters gives us helpful background information:
Israel says the barrier, a mix of electronic fences and walls that encroaches on West Bank territory by differing amounts over the 200
km (120 kms) built so far, is meant to keep suicide bombers out of its cities....
The World Court has called the barrier illegal for being built on captured land.
Thousands of farmers have been separated from fields and the barrier has hampered trade between villages and market towns like
Qalqilya, where 40,000 people are ringed by concrete except for one small outlet.
OK, three pieces of background info here. One is a "claim" from Israel on *why* they built the wall.
Second is the *fact* that the World Kangaroo Court condemned it.
Third is the "fact?" that THOUSANDS of Palestinian farmers have fields on the other side of the wall! Can you imagine? THOUSANDS???? No scare quotes, no source - just a al-Reuters "fact."
And somehow al- Reuters cannot seem to mention the fact that suicide bombings have been reduced fantastically in areas the wall was built.
More incredible objectivity from al-Reuters.
