Both Sides of the Barrier

Israeli police patrol past the new separation wall between the West Bank Palestinian village of Abu Dis and Arab East Jerusalem. Israel plans to complete the main section of its barrier in 2004.  (David Silverman / Getty Images)

Fathi Taha, left, a 67-year-old Palestinian farmer, and his son Tayseer harvest their olives alongside Israel’s security fence in October in the West Bank village of Akaba. Villagers in this area say the fence has cut them off from most of their traditional land, forcing them to make an hour-long journey through Israeli army checkpoints to reach their olive trees, just hundreds of meters from their homes.  (David Silverman / Getty Image)

Aerial view of Israel’s controversial security barrier, separating the Israeli Arab village Baqaa al-Gharbiya, at left, and the Palestinian village of Nazlat Issa in the West Bank.  (Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty Images)

Palestinians talk with Israeli soldiers as they wait behind a passage portion of the security fence separating the West Bank from Israel near Baqa El Sharqaya.  (Menahem Kahana / AFP / Getty Images)

The separation fence runs around Har Homa, a Jewish settlement near Jerusalem in the West Bank. About 95% of the divider will take the form of fencing, Israel says.  (Jim Hollander / EPA)

Palestinians climb over Israel’s controversial barrier in the Palestinian neighborhood of Abu Dis in the West Bank.  (Uriel Sinai / Getty Images)

Security Guard Motti Elbaz, left, at Ort Alon School, an Israeli school which was targeted by suicide bombers.  (David Blumenfeld / For the Times)

Students at Ort Alon School.  (David Blumenfeld / For the Times)

Roman Grois, 17, left, and Danny Magner, 16, are 11th grade students at Ort Alon School.  (David Blumenfeld / For the Times)

Palestinian farmer Hani Amer prays in his garden where the Israeli army has erected part of its separation barrier. It runs in one form or another all the way around his home. “Only God,” he said, “will give it a chance to fall.”  (Ilan Mizrahi / For the Times)

Munira Amer and her son Shadad near their house and the wall.  (Ilan Mizrahi / For the Times)

Hany Amer stands by the gate next to his house, between Elkana and Meschah.  (Ilan Mizrahi / For the Times)