II. The Issues: Pondering the Fence

3. Episode Three: Survey Says...

You understand the meaning of the words, but who is using which terms? We now present the top seven hits using the nine possible permutations used to refer to that structure being built by Israel west of the Jordan. As we count down, you'll see: + The term and number of hits a Google survey using that term + Israel garnered

• The title of the first 'hit' listed
• The name of the organization running the web site
• A self-description – where offered - of the website if not a media company, plus any relevant editor’s notes regarding the web site.

Read on for the Analysis.

Note that the two least used terms included the word ‘Apartheid’ garnering a mere 300 hits between them, explaining why they have been dropped from the survey.

#7: Separation Fence: 5,990
Hit #1: “On Israel's separation fence (part 1)”
Who: The Electronic Intifada
Self-description: EI publishes news, commentary, analysis, and reference materials about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict from a Palestinian perspective.
Note: Do not use this propaganda site from an unprotected computer – it will register your IP address.

#6: Separation Barrier - 7,330
Hit #1: "THE IMPACT OF ISRAEL'S SEPARATION BARRIER ON AFFECTED WEST BANK COMMUNITIES"
Who: United Nations
Note: Also used by B'tselem the Israeli human rights organization as well as the Palestinian Authority

#5: Separation Wall - 8,730
Hit #1: "'Separation Wall' - separating Palestinians from their land"
Who: Gush Shalom
Self-description: Gush Shalom (Translated from Hebrew, the name means "The Peace Bloc") is the hard core of the Israeli peace movement.

#4: Security Wall: - 12,300
Hit #1: “The Wall: Israel’s ‘Security’ fence”
Who: Jerusalem Media and Communication Center (JMCC)
Self-description: JMCC was established in 1988 by a group of Palestinian journalists and researchers to provide information on events in the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip.

#3: Apartheid Wall - 13,300
Hit #1:"`Apartheid' wall: Israel's racist land grab"
Who: Green Left Weekly
Self-description: Green Left Weekly is Australia's radical weekly newspaper.

#2: Security Barrier: 14,100
Hit #1: UN Critical of Israel's Security Barrier
Who: Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Note: a popular term among news services, including BBC, CNN, AP, and NPR

#1: Security fence 25,300
Hit #1: “SAVING LIVES: ISRAEL’S SECURITY FENCE”
Who: Freeman Center for Strategic Studies
Self-description: The Freeman Center for Strategic Studies aids Israel in her quest to survive in a hostile world.

Analysis:

This survey would suggest that 'security fence' is the most deserving term, as it enjoys the most common use. One might argue that the pro-Israel lobby has flooded the web, but who's ready to check out all 25,300 sites? Moreover, most news services use the term ‘security’, if not ‘fence’, too.

'Apartheid Wall' is the preferred choice of the anti-Israel propagandists. They use the term to undermine the very legitimacy of Israel’s existence, and use any opportunity to do so. The term also dovetails with the current ‘divestment’ campaign recalling the anti-South Africa campaign of the 1980s. Little consideration is given to the legitimate critiques of the fence/wall. It is a shame that they cheapen the term, a virtual insult to the millions of black South Africans who truly suffered an unjustified racist policy. Clearly the original impetus for the ‘wall’ is terrorism, not racial segregation, for the wall also protects over one million Arab citizens of Israel, who have also fallen victim to terrorist bombs from Haifa to Jerusalem.

Barrier is a rather accurate description, used by many news services, maintaining a sense of neutrality. In general, detractors of Israel’s policy prefer wall, though we have demonstrated that it is anything but a wall. Critics also like ‘separation’, which despite its neutral definition implies depriving the Palestinians of certain rights in the current context.

The fences have it, but does that change anything? Let's face it: whatever you call it, the fence/barrier/wall issue is not about to go away, so time to move on to the arguments starting with Episode Four.

If, on the other hand, you are still thirsty for another angle on the war of the words, see: http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/08/03/nyt.myre/index.html.