West Bank 'wall': Is it justified?

The UN General Assembly has passed a resolution demanding that Israel halt the construction of a controversial security barrier separating Israel from Palestinian areas in the West Bank.

The resolution says the barrier contravenes international law and also calls for existing stretches of fence to be removed.

But Israel's Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said construction of the barrier would continue.

Israel argues that the barrier is necessary to protect Israeli civilians from attacks by Palestinian gunmen and suicide bombers but Palestinians argue that it is encroaching on more Palestinian land.

Should Israel halt construction of the security barrier or is it a justified security measure?

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The following comments reflect the balance of opinion we have received so far:

I think both the Palestinians and the Israelis deserve security, and have the right to live in peace without fear of Palestinian suicide bombings or the killing of innocent people by the Israeli military. But walls won't stop the violence. It will only stop when both sides decide they have had enough. The sad thing is that hundreds and maybe thousands of people may have to die before that point is reached.
Lisa Stiller, USA

Of course the wall is not helpful in any peace negotiations but it is justified as no-one seems able to stop the suicide bombings. On the other hand for the Palestinians not to have their own state is a crime and some drastic measures have to be taken to ensure peace is arrived at in the region. The actions of the Israelis are, to say the least, provocative.
Anne Edmondson, UK

I think that any division in a country should be the very last resort Samantha Birchall, Germany

I am currently living in Germany and I can definitely say that it still feels the brunt of the Berlin wall. I think that any division in a country should be the very last resort. It will ruin lives, disrupt families and will affect the economy. All that has happened here and if one walks into the East, the difference is very noticeable. If Israel goes ahead with this decision, I hope they have thought long and hard about it.
Samantha Birchall, Germany

How can all of you be so blind? There are 46 Arab states with over 1 billion Muslim citizens and one single Jewish state with less than 7 million Jewish citizens. The Palestinian terror is being supported by any person or organization who does not condemn it. The Jewish state is right to erect the wall. The Jewish state will continue to protect itself despite being subjected to constant bad press. Terrorism does not get so much support whether active or passive when it happens in any other country. But when it comes to Israel, the only democracy in the Meddle East then the European double standard is flourishing.
Dave Clone, Wales

There is no way that this wall is an appropriate action in the Palestine lands. This will work against any positive reconciliation within the existing troubles in the area. It is the last desperate act of a desperate Israeli administration.
Curtis Jewell, USA

This wall should have been put up years ago Rahul, US

This wall should have been put up years ago. It might have saved innocent lives which otherwise were cut short by sucide bombers. It is bizarre how quickly the world takes Israel to task for defending its citizens and how easily the world condones Palestinian bombings.
Rahul, US

Israel would have every right to build the wall on their own land but building it in the Occupied Territories is illegal, reprehensible and provocative. I wonder if Americans think this is good use for the billions in aid they give to Israel every year.
Keith, Canada

The Israelis don't need to justify their wall. When the US says you are right, it doesn't matter who says you are wrong. When are the other countries going to stand up and say "Enough!"
Louis Linton, Barbados

I think the wall is a good idea, it should be continued all around Israel to keep them in.
Paul, Western Australia

This wall simply says the world can't stop us Yousaf Malik, Pakistan

Who are we kidding by asking is the wall justified? Only if Israel and its allies (read USA) admit that Berlin Wall was justified than this wall is too. This wall simply says the world can't stop us we do what we want. After this i guess they should not complain about any bombings inside Israeli cities. Because they say it solves all problems. It will make more suicide bombers than the whole of Intifada combined.
Yousaf Malik, Pakistan

Under no circumstances can this wall be justified Lee, Wales

Under no circumstances can this wall be justified. It is in flagrant breech of "international law" and more so the rights of the Palestinian people! If the Israeli Government were not so self absorbed and showed thought for others they would realise they are only hurting themselves by increasing tensions. The UN have agreed the wall "contravenes international law" and action should be taken to force this point home - with or without the agreement of America. Its about time Israel was brought into line with the international community.
Lee, Wales

Oct. 4, a female Palestinian homicide bomber enters and restaurant and blows 21 people to bits. Sept. 9, 2 Palestinian homicide bombers murder 16 people, including a world renowned Trauma Surgeon. Aug. 19, a Palestinian homicide bomber boards a bus, and massacres 23 people. Tell the relatives of these people it's illegal and immoral for Israel to protect them.
Michael Sweeney, USA

A wall to protect the Palestinian settlements from Israeli military intrusions would definitely be more justified.
Conny Carlman, Sweden

Israelis are in fact building a wall around Israel, isolating them from the rest of the world. Almost all nations disapprove this act of Apartheid.
Jan, Belgium

If Israel was even remotely interested in peace then it would have built the wall on its own land Stefan, Europe

The problem is not so much the wall itself as the location of the wall. If Israel was even remotely interested in peace then it would have built the wall on its own land. The current version of the wall is nothing more than a land grab and a way to make a viable Palestinian state less likely.
Stefan, Europe

Although no one can justify the terrorist acts by both sides in this conflict, I question why Israel would continue building a wall claiming as part of Israel the illegal settlements and more Palestinian land. This is a provocative act that can only lead to more violence. Let me ask you, if someone systematically kept stealing your land and guarding it with armed military and walls and simply ignored demands to get off, what would you do? Accept it?
Elizabeth, USA/Japan

The wall is necessary for Israel's borders to remain secure. Since the 2 countries can't live together peacefully, it is the best solution.
Mary Markovich, USA

This wall is an example of the walls we all build around ourselves as individuals, to shelter ourselves from inconvenient truths that would necessarily result in change. Israel builds this wall, and in so doing, it traps its problems within.
Omar, Brazil

The wall will fail to do anything other than spur the Palestinians to further acts of violence Leigh Ross, USA

It seems no Government is capable of doing more than blindly repeating the errors of the past. Security can not be obtained by physical means like a wall. If the root causes of the Palestinians grievances are not addressed , the wall will fail to do anything other than spur the Palestinians to further acts of violence in defence of their already beleaguered nation.
Leigh Ross, USA

If it saves lives, then "yes" it is justified.
Robin Setty, England

By building this wall so deep into territories, Israel is pretty much saying we don't expect a solution to this Palestine problem; infact we are okay without the peace if we can stop the killings, which this wall will. Israel doesn't care if Palestinians suffer or die. They have surrounded some cities by 3 sides, made already miserable lives more miserable. How can such a wall be justified?
SG, India

Of course it is justified. The occupied territories are run by groups who publicly state their number one objective is to destroy the state of Israel. There is no chance of a lasting peace with these organisations as history has shown time and time again.
Dan M, England

The construction of the 'security' barrier should cease. Jon,UK

The construction of the 'security' barrier should cease. The UN was set up for a good reason. No state should be allowed to undermine the UN or act in violation of international law. Whilst I disagree with suicide attacks, which is obviously wrong, Israel is crossing the line between self defence and aggression. It is unlikely that this will stop Israel, as it has US backing. Both states are known to ignore international law when it serves their political interests. Israel is further provoking attacks by proposals of new settlements. Surely history has shown us that it is by knocking down barriers that peace is made.
Jon, UK

Let's not allow another Berlin wall Graham Finchley, Germany/ UK

When the Palestinians decide that they want peace and stop their 3 year brutal terror war against Israel, and produce a leadership that wants peaceful coexistence, and not simply to create a Palestinian state as a stepping stone for the destruction of Israel, then there won't be a need to protect Israel's Muslim, Jewish and Christian civilians from Palestinian terror. Until then, the wall is justified.
Derek, Canada

There are plenty of non-violent steps and non-wall steps that the Israel could take to protect its people. Cutting innocent Palestinians off from their land and families and further solidifying illegal settlements is not the way forward.
ME, UK

Just as with the Iron Curtain, I fear it is justified. Something has got to physically separate these two peoples before they annihilate one another. In time, perhaps future generations will not see the need for the wall anymore.
Thierry, Belgium

To not take action to stem the senseless killing of innocent Israeli civilians would be criminal. Ricardo, USA

To not take action to stem the senseless killing of innocent Israeli civilians would be criminal. Palestinians should welcome this outcome as fewer suicide bombings in Israel proper will equate to fewer retaliatory strikes by the IDF. If Palestinian leaders are incapable of controlling the actions of fringe groups doing their dirty work. Israel has every right in the world to do it for them.
Ricardo, United States

Let's not allow another Berlin wall, and stop this one before it's too late. Why can we not learn from our past mistakes? Too many resolutions have been passed and vetoed on this conflict. It's about time direct action was taken by the UN to stop Israel from breaching international law and just maybe there may well be hope for the security of Israeli's and the right to a life for the Palestinians.
Graham Finchley, Germany/ UK