Arabs want destruction of Israeli barrier

After Friday's ruling by the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, that the barrier violates international law, the Palestinians and their Arab supporters said they will seek a resolution for enforcing the decision.

In a sharply worded advisory opinion, the court said Israel should tear down the barrier, compensate Palestinians harmed by the structure and return property confiscated for its construction.

The court urged the UN General Assembly and the Security Council to consider "what further action is required to bring to an end to the illegal situation."

The court also called for a negotiated peace settlement establishing a Palestinian state "as soon as possible."

Israel's UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman said the barrier will remain as long as suicide bombers keep attacking Israelis and Arafat's "terror" campaign continues.

He said it was "shocking and appalling" that the court failed to recognize that the projected 425-mile-long barrier was "a temporary, nonviolent security measure" that had reduced terrorist attacks against Israelis by 90 percent. About one-fourth of the barrier has been built.

In almost four years of violence, 970 Israelis have died in Palestinian strikes, with more than 1,000 wounded.

"We cannot accept decisions made in the Hague when in Jerusalem buses explode," Israeli Justice Minister Tommy Lapid said. "We have to defend ourselves, and the fence is a defence measure which hurts nobody ... nobody can advise us not to save the lives of Israeli women and children."

Arab nations will send a letter Monday requesting a meeting of the General Assembly to implement the court's decision, said Ambassador Yahya Mahmassani, the Arab League's representative at the United Nations.

The 191-nation world body can recommend that the wall be torn down, and it can recommend sanctions if Israel fails to comply. But only the 15-member Security Council can order such actions.

The Palestinians and their supporters also are expected to circulate a resolution demanding that the barrier be torn down, UN diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"This decision calls on Israel to destroy this wall and desist from further actions," Mahmassani said. "Israel is in violation of international law, of international legitimacy, and the General Assembly now will be called upon to look into this matter."

Meanwhile, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat said yesterday Israel will be unable to avoid dismantling the separation barrier it is building in the West Bank after the world court declared it to be illegal.

"The ruling of the court in The Hague demonstrates that the entire world is on the side of the Palestinian people against this wall," Arafat said at a graduation ceremony for Palestinian officers at his headquarters here.

"No one can impose this wall of apartheid on us, and its dismantlement is unavoidable. The Berlin Wall collapsed and the Sharon Wall will follow," he said in reference to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

AFP adds: The Gulf Coope-ration Council (GCC) on Friday hailed the world court's indictment of Israel's West Bank separation barrier and urged the United Nations to ensure Israeli compliance with the ruling.

The United Nations "must take the required measures to ensure implementation of the court's ruling, which demands Israel's removal of the wall," Secretary General Abdulrahman al-Attiyah told AFP.