United Nations, June 14: Israel should halt construction of the wall it is building to keep suicide bombers and terrorists from entering the country because of its potentially devastating impact on the Palestinian people and the peace process, a senior UN official said. "Suspending construction of the wall would contribute to the overall effort to improve security and humanitarian conditions and restart the political process," undersecretary-general for political affairs Kieran Prendergast told the security council yesterday. Israel hopes the fence, and orders to shoot anyone who tries to cross it, will keep out suicide bombers. Palestinians say the wall, which frequently weaves into the west bank, is a way of annexing land while delaying a peace deal that would set borders of a Palestinian state. The Israeli government's goal is to completely cut Israel off from the west bank with a fence about 600 kilometers long -although no one can say how long it will take. Only about 32 kilometers are finished, and an additional 160 kilometers partly built. Prendergast noted that work began before the so-called "road map" to peace was accepted by the Israelis and Palestinians. As part of the plan, Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has pledged to disarm violent Palestinian groups and to work to end terrorism -though there have been major new attacks this week.

Bureau Report