Israel slams High Court ruling

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Zeev Boim, slammed Thursday’s ruling of the Israeli High Court of Justice, which called on the defense ministry to reroute the Separation in some Palestinian area, describing it as a ruling “which undermines the Israeli national security.

“This ruling is unfortunate, any delay on the construction of the Wall undermines our security”, Boim said, “This Wall has proven to be life-saving and significantly diminished attacks”.

Meretz-Yachad Chairman, Yossi Beilin said that the court has shown itself to be sane in face of an irresponsible and confused government in Israel.

“As long as there is not agreement with the Palestinians, the only fence to be built in on the Green Line”, Beilin said.

Also, Knesset member Etti Livni from the Shinui party praised the court’s decision, adding that attempts by international jurists to intervene in this matter are unwanted.

 

Israel attempted to ignore the International High Court’s ruling, and said that it is not binding, but it changed its attitude after the Israeli High Court president, Aharon Barak, said that Israel cannot behave “as if it lives on a deserted island”.

Also, Barak added that although Israel criticizes the ruling, but it also has several positive aspects for Israel. “I am sure that Israel would base many of its arguments, in the coming years, on this ruling”.

Israel maintained its main response to The Hague ruling, saying that it does not bind it since Israel had apposed raising the issue of the legality of the Wall at an international court forum.

Also, Israel claimed that the ruling is inadequate and dictated by the U.N secretary-general, and “ignored the attacks on Israel. 

ISR High Court asks the government to reroute a section of the Wall

Saed Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies

An extended nine-judge panel at the Israeli High Court of justice unanimously ruled that the Israeli government should reroute the Separation Wall in Qalqilia area, but authorized Israel to continue the construction the Wall in the Palestinian territories.

The decision was made after a petition, based on The Hague ruling, was filed by the Association For Civil Rights in Israel, on behalf of residents of five Palestinian villages which will be isolated from the rest of the Palestinian areas by the Wall which is intended to surround Alfe Menashe settlement, north of the West Bank.

The nine- judge panel said that their decision was not based on the ruling of the International High court of Justice, “but on the harm done to Palestinian villages”.

An Israeli source claimed that the decision failed to address the Israeli security needs; adding that this decision not be examined as a whole, since “a specific attention should be given to each section of the Wall”.

The petitioners said that the fence Israel is constructing is not based on “security needs”, and that it comes to serve Israeli political aims, but is intended to annex more lands in the West Bank in order to expand its settlements.

In 2004, the International High Court of Justice ruled that the Separation wall should be dismantled since it is constructed in the occupied territories, and demanded Israel to compensate the Palestinians for their loses.

The Israeli government said that this is a non-binding decision, and that it was based on partial evidences which did not include the Israeli security needs.

Israel is attempting to make the Separation Wall as the official maker of the borders between Israel and the Palestinian territories by creating “civil border crossings” between Israel and the West Bank. 

Currently there are 44 petitions pending at the Israeli High Court of Justice, the court ordered a freeze of the construction in several areas until rerouting the wall there.

Most of the affected areas by the construction of the Separation Wall are villages surrounding Qalqilia, and will be isolated from it, villages which will be surrounded by the Wall which encircles Alfe Menashe settlement, and the road which links it with an Israeli city.