Rights group disappointed by security fence ruling

By JPOST.COM STAFF
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) expressed disappointment at the High Court's decision Wednesday morning regarding the planned security barrier around north Jerusalem's A-Ram neighborhood. "The association is surprised and disappointed by the court's decision, according to which the imprisonment of thousands of people by a concrete wall on nearly all sides does not constitute a violation of human rights," the organization said. The court rejected petitions by ACRI and other rights organizations, saying that the safety of Israeli citizens took precedence over the "proportionate" inconvenience experienced by residents of the village. ACRI said further that "the solutions voted on by the High Court, such as the use of checkpoints, are insubstantial. Experience has shown that they don't prevent the separation of the residents from Jerusalem - [which is central to] their income and their lives."