Cranes lifted the two-meter high slabs, each weighing two-and-a-half tons, and placed them onto a semi-trailer bed to be carted away to an army warehouse.

"The security situation has turned around completely," Maj. Peter Lerner, spokesman for the Israel Army's Central Command, told The Media Line. "This is our main thinking and that's why we are removing these concrete slabs today. We have good working relations with the Palestinian security forces. We have a good sense of security and we have the ability to deal with terror threats that could formulate from the other side. Today gives us the opportunity, for the well being of all residents living in Gilo, to remove these elements."

For the past decade, cement barriers have been a fixture in the lives of residents of the Gilo neighborhood and have given them a sense of security. When the Palestinian unrest erupted a decade ago, Arab fighters across the valley in the cities of Beit Jala and Bethlehem would take pot shots at their Jewish neighbors.

"There was direct fire coming from Beit Jala to the houses. We had people living with sand bags in their windows, so indeed this was an immediate response to solve a security threat at that time," Maj. Lerner said.

Israeli forces, backed by helicopter gunships, returned heavy gunfire toward the Palestinian village across the valley. The fighting was traumatic for both sides.

"It was very scary. The kids wet their beds at night. We couldn't sleep and we all looked for relatives to stay with. Lots of folks left," recalled grocer Michael Yitzhak.

The move to remove the cement walls came as Israel eased restrictions and is now allowing Israeli citizens to travel to select Palestinian cities like Bethlehem and Jericho, for the first time since the year 2000. But Yitzhak doesn't think he'll be visiting his neighbors across the valley for some time.

"I'm not going to take any chances now. But I do believe there are a lot of Palestinians who, like me, want to make peace, not all of them, but sometimes it's just those few evil guys who make all the problems," Yitzhak said.

In Beit Jala, Imad Abu Mohor was initially incredulous when told about the removal of the cement wall. He had thought it was the massive six-meter high barrier Israel erected to separate between the two sides and not the shorter precursor aimed only at protecting Israelis.

"It was very difficult days, especially for children," recalled Abu Mohor, today the director of the Bethlehem Arab Society for Rehabilitation situated on a hill overlooking the former battlefield.

"I believe that those days will never come back in terms of shooting because now the public opinion is more aware of the present situation in Palestine and how the Palestinians suffered. We as Palestinians need protection. Not the Israelis," Abu Mohor said.

Back in Gilo, the landmark wall became a part of the neighborhood's character. Artists have covered it with brightly-colored murals. Still, when the Israeli army showed up today, it took a few residents by surprise.

"The security forces wouldn't have removed this wall if they didn't think it was right. We've been talking about this for two years and if they decided that today the time had finally come, then it means they must have checked out the situation," said Moshe Ben Sasson, the neighborhood representative to the municipality.

"Today, when the moment of truth arrived I have to say I got calls from people who were worried," Ben-Sasson told The Media Line. "We are always for coexistence and we hope the other side knows not to be tempted now that the walls have been removed because I believe the Israeli army will severely retaliate."

Walls go up and walls come down. Even as this wall was being loaded up on trucks, the army said that they are putting the cement blocks in warehouses and could be replaced if ever the need arises.

"We'll take them away and we'll store them and if need be we can re-erect them at quite a quick pace," Maj. Lerner said. "But on a more positive note, we can now have a beautiful view of the Judean hills."