Construction will resume on Israel’s West Bank security fence five years after it was halted due to budget shortfalls.

The construction of a segment of the fence around the Gush Etzion bloc south of Jerusalem was approved July 4 by Israel’s Supreme Court. The construction will begin in the next few weeks.

A segment of the fence around Ma’ale Adumim, east of Jerusalem, is slated to be constructed in 2013.

Construction on the security fence began in 2002, during the second Palestinian intifada, in order to reduce terrorist attacks inside Israel. It has been condemned internationally for being built on West Bank land. — jta