Nearly 20 years on, Israeli barrier shapes Palestinian lives

By JOSEPH KRAUSS
Associated Press

QAFFIN, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian farmers in dozens of villages in the occupied West Bank must show permits to soldiers in order to access their own land on the other side of Israel’s separation barrier. It’s been nearly two decades since Israel sparked controversy by building the barrier during a Palestinian uprising. It’s become a seemingly permanent feature of the landscape, even as Israel encourages its citizens to settle on both sides. Tens of thousands of Palestinian laborers line up at its checkpoints every morning to enter Israel. Israel says the barrier is needed for security, while the Palestinians view it as a form of oppression.