By Ben White, The Electronic Intifada, 30 May 2008
"......The Jordan Valley is an area that despite taking up over a quarter of the West Bank, is rarely subjected to the same kind of critical scrutiny afforded to, say, Jerusalem or settlement blocs like Gush Etzion or Ariel. This despite the Jordan Valley being not only essential for any future Palestinian state -- with regards to territorial continuity, agriculture, water, and border access -- but also having been the target of intense colonization by successive Israeli governments which have not only declared its strategic significance but also the intention of eventual annexation........
While Israeli policies in the West Bank, such as the consolidation of colonies in the "Jerusalem Envelope" and the separation wall, not to mention desperate and besieged Gaza, rightly deserve attention, the Jordan Valley is in danger of being passed over. It's an omission that will primarily affect those Palestinians whose very presence in the Valley is under threat by unchecked Israeli colonization."
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