The Ministry of Defense has begun construction of a wall along the line separating Israel from the West Bank near the Palestinian town of Jenin, and security officials fear an escalation of Palestinian violence as work on the barrier progresses. The barrier along what is commonly called the "seam line" aims to prevent Palestinians from illegally entering Israel and ward off terrorist attacks against Israelis such as those in March and April of this year.
The wall is intended to plug the numerous breaches along the existing fence that have allowed Palestinians to cross into Israel for years unhindered. The seam line, which more or less follows the 1967 Green Line demarcation, stretches about 700 kilometers (434 miles).
