The New York Times > Week in Review > Israel's Wall: Building for Calm by Giving Up on Peace

The contrasts of life in this article will grab you. The contrasts in the lives, economies and culture are stark. One can sympathize with both sides in this conflict. One cannot deny that there is little equity. These are the results of one Palestinian ideology and culture of attempting to 'drive Israel from the land.'

The World Court's decision on the lawfulness of the wall should be ignored. The Israelis have a right to do what's feasible to get on with life.

"Belief in the barrier is by no means confined to the army. Most Israelis are tired of the conflict, exhausted by it. They want to forget what goes on over there, in the West Bank. A wall helps them do that. They feel peace was within reach in the 1990's, but now the best that can be hoped for is damage limitation. A fence makes the task of Palestinians who want to kill them harder.

"There is a feeling that you cannot resolve this situation for the coming decades, you can only manage it," says Tom Segev, a historian. "The wall is ugly and terrible, but it is also a way of managing.""