UK opposes ICJ hearing case against Israeli wall

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
London, Jan 31, IRNA - The British government confirmed Friday that 
it was joining the US and Australia in opposing a UN decision for the 
International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague to rule on the 
legality of Israel`s so-called security wall. 
A Foreign Office spokesman told IRNA that the government was 
making a written submission to the court that included that the UK 
does "not think it is an appropriate issue" to refer to the court. He 
could not say what else was in the submission. 
The spokesman also claimed that it was the normal policy of the 
ICJ to gain the consent of both parties before proceeding with cases. 
In an interview with the Jewish Chronicle weekly, Foreign Office 
Minister for the Middle East, Baroness Symons claimed that the 
involvement of the ICJ could "serve to politicize the court in a way 
for which it was not designed." 
The UK opposition to the court follows Britain abstaining from an 
overwhelming UN General Assembly Resolution criticizing the building 
of the wall, even though British ministers have repeatedly said that 
the route was "illegal." 
Earlier this month, Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell told MPs 
that the government was giving "careful consideration" to the request 
from the ICJ to submit evidence regarding the case. 
"The International Court of Justice`s decision to hold hearings 
on this issue has no direct implications for the UK`s responsibilities
as a High Contracting Party to the Fourth Geneva Convention or as a 
permanent member of the UN Security Council," he also insisted. 
Over 170 MPs, including 111 from the ruling Labour Party, have 
urged Prime Minister Tony Blair to intervene and stop Israel`s 
construction of what it called an "apartheid" wall. 
"The British Government has expressed its concerns about the wall 
but we should be putting more pressure on Israel to stop it directly 
through the EU and through our influence with Israel`s main 
benefactor, the United States," they said. 
In an Early Day Motion to parliament, the MPs from all parties 
called on Blair to bring "all available pressure to bear on Israel to 
cease building this Wall." 
"A new form of apartheid is being built as the international 
community looks on. We allow this to go on," the MPs, including two 
former cabinet ministers, Robin Cook and Clare Short, warned. 
They reminded the government that the wall "violates articles 53 
and 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention," forbidding the destruction 
of property and confinement of persons by an occupier. 
Preliminary analysis by the United Nations Office for the 
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has shown that the 687 km long 
wall will leave more than 274,000 Palestinians living in 122 villages 
and towns either surrounded or trapped by the construction. 
The Early Day Motion, presented as a petition, warned that the 
wall would have "severe humanitarian consequences for 30 per cent of 
the entire Palestinian population." 
HC/NA/210 
End
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UK opposes ICJ hearing case against Israeli wall
