Call for UN action on wall

Mark Almberg

Palestinians are calling for swift action by the United Nations 
to enforce the July 9 ruling by the World Court that Israel's 
apartheid-like "separation wall" along the West Bank is illegal 
and should be torn down. The UN General Assembly's overwhelming 
vote in support of the court's decision on July 20 has only 
strengthened the Palestinians' resolve.

Citing relevant international and human rights law — including 
the Right to Self Determination, the Fourth Geneva Convention, 
and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural 
Rights — the International Court of Justice voted 14-1 that 
"construction of the wall and its associated regime are contrary 
to international law".

The Court said Israel should immediately cease all construction 
on the concrete and barbed-wire wall and dismantle segments 
already built. It further called on Israel to pay reparations for 
the damage done to Palestinians who have been displaced or harmed 
by its construction. The only dissenting vote was from US judge 
Thomas Buergenthal.

The verdict was hailed by a wide spectrum of Palestinian leaders 
and civic groups, and by Israeli peace forces. Ahmed Qurei, the 
Palestinian Prime Minister, called the decision historic, and 
Saeb Erekat, Minister for Negotiations, urged swift UN action to 
implement the non-binding advisory decision.

The Israeli Government of Ariel Sharon said it would disregard 
the ruling, saying the court had no jurisdiction or authority to 
rule on the question. In contrast, the Jewish peace group Gush 
Shalom placed newspaper ads that said, "Three cheers for the 
judges".

It hailed both the Word Court decision and the earlier decision 
by Israel's Supreme Court that the wall, at least in some places, 
violates the law and imposes unnecessary suffering on the 
Palestinian people.

The Communist Party of Israel (CPI) said the World Court's 
recommendations "are an important contribution to the public 
struggle against the construction of the wall and the continuing 
occupation, and for the achievement of a just and stable peace 
which is the real guarantee of security."

It said that the true purpose of the wall was not to enhance 
Israel's security, but to continue the occupation of Palestinian 
land, to perpetuate the settlements in the West Bank, and to 
prevent a viable Palestinian state.

Responding to the Israeli Government's "arrogant dismissal" of 
the UN court's findings, the CPI said such a stance may lead to 
the international isolation of Israel and to the imposition of 
sanctions such as those imposed on South Africa during the 
apartheid regime. It called for the immediate dismantling of the 
wall and of all settlements in the occupied territories.

Meanwhile, as Palestinians sought to enforce the verdict against 
the apartheid wall, a serious political crisis erupted within the 
Palestinian Authority (PA). In the wake of a series of 
kidnappings, including of several Palestinian security officials 
and four French citizens in Gaza (later released), Palestinian 
leader Yasser Arafat declared a state of emergency in Gaza.

Prime Minister Qurei submitted his resignation, citing the 
lawlessness and saying he had insufficient authority to implement 
reforms, as did a number of other prominent officials.

As of July 20, Qurei was persuaded to stay on. Arafat's 
appointment of his nephew, Mousa Arafat, to a top security post 
was met with fierce opposition by resistance groups, including 
his own Fatah faction. He ultimately stepped back from the 
appointment by placing another official above him.

The persistent suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza — 
stemming from Israeli border closings, massive unemployment, and 
constant raids by Israeli occupation forces — has torn at the 
very fabric of society and worked to undermine Palestinian 
institutions, including the Palestinian Authority.

Danny Rubinstein, a columnist for the Israeli paper 
Haaretz, said, "Israel has done everything to bring about 
the collapse of the PA". He said the Israelis have also 
"cultivated Palestinian corruption", rewarding corrupt senior 
Palestinian officials while simultaneously creating severe 
hardship among the general Palestinian public.

He added that such moves have undermined Palestinian rule and 
ushered in a period of chaos, the outcome of which remains 
unpredictable.

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People's Weekly World