Palestinian leader criticizes Israel wall

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 12, 2004

Palestinian leader criticizes Israel wall

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Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia on Sunday urged the international community to pressure Israel to halt construction of its West Bank separation barrier, saying time is running out on chances for a negotiated peace settlement.

Qureia toured a section of the barrier in Qalqiliya, a Palestinian town near the line with Israel that has been largely enclosed by the structure.

"This is the racist separation wall that intends to turn the areas of the West Bank into isolated cantons that are not acceptable to any form of Palestinian government or any form of Palestinian state," Qureia said.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he will take more unilateral steps to separate Israel from Palestinian areas if there is no progress in peace talks in the coming months. He has warned that would mean dismantling some Jewish settlements.

Israel says it needs the 450-mile separation barrier as protection from suicide bombers and other Palestinian attackers.

The Palestinians say the barrier, which dips deep into the West Bank, is a massive land grab that will prevent them from establishing a future independent state. About one-quarter of the barrier has been built.

Source: Agencies

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