Judgments of the Israel Supreme Court: Fighting Terrorism within ...
Judgments of the Israel Supreme Court: Fighting Terrorism within ...
Judgments of the Israel Supreme Court: Fighting Terrorism within ...
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needs <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> local population will also be taken into account. The respondents<br />
also note that, in places where <strong>the</strong> separation fence causes injury to <strong>the</strong> local<br />
population, efforts are being made to minimize that injury. In light <strong>of</strong> all this,<br />
<strong>the</strong> respondents argue that <strong>the</strong> petitions should be denied.<br />
The Hearing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Petition<br />
16. Oral arguments were spread out over a number <strong>of</strong> hearings. During<br />
this time, <strong>the</strong> parties modified <strong>the</strong> formulation <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir arguments. In light <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong>se modifications, <strong>the</strong> respondents were willing to allow changes in certain<br />
sections <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> separation fence. In certain cases <strong>the</strong> route was changed de facto.<br />
Thus, for example, it was changed next to <strong>the</strong> town <strong>of</strong> Har Adar, and next to <strong>the</strong><br />
village <strong>of</strong> Beit Sourik. This <strong>Court</strong> (President A. Barak, Vice-President (ret.) T.<br />
Or, and Vice-President E. Mazza) heard <strong>the</strong> petition (on February 29, 2004). The<br />
remainder <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> hearing was postponed for a week in order to allow <strong>the</strong> sides<br />
to take full advantage <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir right to have <strong>the</strong>ir arguments heard and to attempt<br />
to reach a compromise. We ordered that no work shall be undertaken on <strong>the</strong><br />
separation fence in <strong>the</strong> area relating to <strong>the</strong> petition until <strong>the</strong> next hearing.<br />
The next hearing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> petition was on March 17, 2004. The petitioners<br />
submitted a motion to file additional documents, <strong>the</strong> most important <strong>of</strong> which<br />
was an affidavit prepared by members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council for Peace and Security,<br />
which is a registered organisation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Israel</strong>is with a security background,<br />
including high ranking reserve <strong>of</strong>ficers, among <strong>the</strong>m Major General (res.)<br />
Danny Rothchild, who serves as president <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council, Major General<br />
(res.) Avraham Adan (Bren), Commissioner (emeritus) Shaul Giv’oli, who<br />
serves as <strong>the</strong> general manager <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Council, and Colonel (res.) Yuval Dvir.<br />
The affidavit was signed by A. Adan, S. Giv’oli and Y. Dvir. The council,<br />
which sees itself as a nonpartisan organisation, was, it argued, among <strong>the</strong><br />
first to suggest a separation fence as a solution to <strong>Israel</strong>’s security needs. The<br />
affidavit included detailed and comprehensive comments regarding various<br />
segments <strong>of</strong> this route, and raised its reservations from a security perspective.<br />
The claims in <strong>the</strong> affidavit were serious and grave. After reading <strong>the</strong>m, we<br />
requested (on March 17, 2004) <strong>the</strong> comments <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> second Respondent, <strong>the</strong><br />
Commander <strong>of</strong> IDF Forces in <strong>the</strong> area <strong>of</strong> Judea and Samaria, Lieutenant-<br />
General Moshe Kaplinsky.<br />
17. This <strong>Court</strong> (President A. Barak, Vice-President E. Mazza, and Justice<br />
M. Cheshin) resumed <strong>the</strong> hearing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> petition (on March 31, 2004). Just<br />
20