The Israeli army on Sunday began tearing down a part of its West Bank separation barrier, after being forced by a court order, The Washington Post is reporting.


The removal of the fencing took place near the village of Bil'in, where Palestinian villagers, joined by Israeli and foreign supporters, have held weekly marches to the barrier for years, the Post reports.

Four years ago, the Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the barrier did not serve security needs, but instead cut through farmland to expand a fast-growing Israeli settlement of ultra-Orthodox Jews, according to the Post. The court ruled that the barrier must be taken down and placed closer to the Israeli settlement of Modi'in Ilit. Israel has maintained that the barrier is necessary to block Palestinian suicide bombers from reaching Israel.

The implementation of the ruling was delayed by proposals for alternate routes from the Israeli Definise Ministry, according to the Post.

The new route of the fence will restore 140 acres to Bil'in, the Post reports Col. Sa'ar Tzur has said.

Israel begins tearing down part of West Bank barrier -

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