22/10/2003

UN tells Israel to remove its West Bank security wall

The UN General Assembly has today "overwhelmingly approved" a resolution demanding that Israel stop building its security wall in the West Bank.

The Assembly adopted the measure last night by 144 votes to four against (Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, United States), with 12 abstentions. The action came as part of the tenth emergency session on "illegal Israeli activities" in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied territories, which began in 1997 to debate Israeli actions in the occupied territories.

The text, which had been introduced by Italy, on behalf of the European Union, expressed the Assembly's "particular concern" that the route marked out for the wall under construction by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, could "prejudice future negotiations" and make the two-State solution "physically impossible to implement" and would cause "further humanitarian hardship" to the Palestinians.

The Assembly condemned the recent suicide bombings and intensification of violence with the attack in Haifa and the bomb attack in the Gaza strip, which killed three American security officers. It also called on both parties to fulfill their obligations under the 'Road Map', urged the Palestinian Authority to undertake "visible efforts" to restrain individuals and groups conducting and planning violent attacks, and called on the Israeli government to take no actions undermining trust, including deportations and attacks on civilians and "extrajudicial killings".

Further, the Assembly requested Secretary-General Kofi Annan to report periodically on compliance with the resolution, with the first report due within a month.

Israel's representative dismissed the proceedings as a “humiliating farce”.

(gmcg)

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