The Hague sentences Israel for the illegality of the separation wall, demands removal

The International court of Justice in the Hague yesterday decided unanimously with the consent of its 14 members and abstention of one American judge Thomas Burgintal, the following: Demanding Israel to end the illegal status of the wall and removing it from all Palestinian lands including East Jerusalem and areas surrounding it and compensating persons damaged by the wall.

Demanding all countries not to recognize the illegal status resulting from building the wall. The decision also calls on the UN and the Security Council to consider any other measures to end the illegal situation of the wall.

The UN General Assembly submitted the case to the Hague court in December 2003 after the failure of the Arab group to issue an international decision abiding Israel to halt building the wall.

Prior to voicing the sentence by the court, the European Union called on Israel to remove the separation wall in the Palestinian territories including occupied East Jerusalem.

The spokesman for the European Commission Jan Christof Vilorty said that the sentence of the International Court of Justice seems to confirm Israel's violations of the International law.

For his part, the Palestinian prime minister Ahmad Qurei' said that the decision will be used to increase international pressures to halt the building of the wall.

The Palestinians pin hope on the decision of the International court -- the supreme judiciary authority belongs to the UN -- in order to open the way before imposing likely sanctions on Israel.