UN satellites eye Israeli barrier

[Tinoire]

UN satellites eye Israeli barrier

The UN is keeping a close eye from space on the path of Israel's controversial West Bank barrier.

It is using satellites to take images of the 700km (435 miles) barrier which cuts across Palestinian territory.



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"It is evident by looking at this wall on the satellite imagery to see the damage done to Palestinian villages that are getting trapped," said Alain Retiere of the UN's satellite agency.

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The UN has also spoken out against the fence, describing it as illegal. In a report in September it said the wall was tantamount to "an unlawful act of annexation".


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But reality that has emerged from the data gathered by the UN agency may not please Israel.

"There is an increasing degree of consciousness that this wall is not just about security," said Mr Retiere. "When you see the maps, you see there that this is more than just about ensuring security."

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"The more people know about this, the more we will avoid the tricking of the information which has been an obstacle for conflict resolution for centuries."

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3334235.stm

[ParticipatoryDem]

1. Too bad they can't use those eyes in the sky to track suicide bombers

Then there would be no need for the wall.

[Tinoire]

2. Too busy tracking the bull-dozers. for a better end. n/t

[chiburb]

4. Or snowmobiles in Yellowstone...

Or Hillary in New York. Right?

[The Stranger]

5. Oh come on.

Occupation is Terrorism.

[damnraddem]

6. How would tracking suicide bombers help Israel steal Palestinian land?

Oh, that's right: trying to make the theft risk free.

But suicide bombers and settlers have a lot in common: opposition to a peaceful solution that would thwart their plans.

Remember when the Iron Curtain came down? Well, now there's a new one.

[ParticipatoryDem]

9. The Iron curtain was to keep people in

This wall is to keep suicide bombers and killers out.

[mbperrin]

12. Good thing it allows students and ordinary working people

to pass right through, nicht?

[burythehatchet]

13. Can you PLEASE get your terminology right...

its HOMOCIDE bombers...remember? Or did you not get the memo?

[KG]

3. no longer disguising the intent of the land grab

an illegeal wall protecting illegal settlements on illegally occupied land.

[Malva Zebrina]

7. So what is that called that is within the circle?

the Warsaw ghetto?

[Sterling]

8. I thought the same thing years ago

When they partitioned enclaves for the Palistinians to live in. I found the irony disturbing.

[pinto]

10. if I had a gazillion dollars, I'd give it to the UN for "spy" satellites..

while we worry about the growth of Big Brother, open and accessible info from the same technology can be a source for world wide assessment. I am hopelessly optimistic about global institutons...

[GRClarkesq]

11. The UN has satellites?

What about black helicopters?

[Politicub]

14. What part of this is the Palistine territory?

Is it the area within the circular wall?

It looks so strange. I expected a wall that would stretch across a region, not used as a fence to keep people inside. History continues to repeat itself

[pinto]

15. many call them ghettos........n/t

[newyorican]

16. Here are some maps...

http://www.amin.org/eng/uncat/2003/dec/dec30.pdf (Good Updated Map)

http://www.reliefweb.int/hic-opt/wall.htm Includes large satellite photos of many areas.