West Bank fence driving out Christians

JERUSALEM, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The Archbishop of Canterbury said Wednesday Israel's security fence in the West Bank has prompted the regional Christian population to decline drastically.

Speaking with The Jerusalem Post, Dr. Rowan Williams said that the security barrier has brought socioeconomic hardships to the West Bank that have driven out a sizable portion of the area's Christian population.

"I recently met with Christians in Bethlehem, people by no means extreme, and they told of the daily burdens driving in and out of the city that were created by the wall," the Church of England prelate said.

While Williams did recognize the reported positive impact the fence has had fighting Palestinian terrorism, he said the cost paid for that increased security is still too high.

"The fence does not solve the basic underlying causes of the conflict. That's why I am unhappy with it," he told the Post.

Instead of having the fence in place, the archbishop suggested bringing about a peaceful coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians through appropriate educational materials.