Fence? Who Needs a Fence?

Coverage of the Arab-Israeli conflict tends toward the surreal, but the current controversy over Israel’s fence seems particularly over the top. Consider this photo, which the Associated Press describes as follows:
“A masked Palestinian militant of the Al Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades flashes the victory sign as he holds his handgun in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya Thursday, July 31, 2003. The town is walled off on three sides by a combination of concrete walls, fences, razor-wire and trenches, part of a 600-kilometer-long barrier that Israel is building near the dividing line with the West Bank, arguing it is needed to keep out Palestinian militants. Residents say is strangling their livelihoodand feeding anger toward Israel.”

Gee. I mean, I can really see their point. I mean, who would want to keep that guy out of their country? I can certainly see how Israel’s desire to keep out guys like this would “feed anger” toward Israel. How unreasonable can you get? I mean, if this guy showed up in your neighborhood, you’d bring out the Welcome Wagon, right? Who wouldn’t?