U.S. Congressional Democrats are pressing the Bush administration to show greater support for Israel’s West Bank security fence. Democrats challenged Secretary of State Colin Powell’s reservations about the barrier in Wednesday hearings at the U.S. House of Representatives on next year’s budget. “I would point out that if the fence saves one life, that more than counterbalances a few diplomatic or even economic problems caused by the fence,” Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) said.
Palestinian Authority prime minister Ahmed Qurei denied reports that his family’s cement company is providing materials to build Israel’s West Bank security barrier. On Tuesday, a Palestinian lawmaker said a P.A. parliamentary committee was investigating whether Palestinian cement companies were providing materials for the fence and for Jewish settlement construction. He said there was evidence the Qurei family’s company was among them, Ha’aretz reported.
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