Israel to US: Now deal with the UN
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Israel Asks U.S. for Support at U.N. Over Barrier
Sat Jul 10, 2004 10:35 AM ET
By Megan Goldin
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has asked Washington to prevent any Security Council resolution after the U.N.'s highest court ruled its West Bank barrier was illegal, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Saturday.
"The issue will go to the Security Council because the (Palestinians) can muster an automatic majority in the U.N. General Assembly," Shalom told Israel Radio, adding he had asked U.S. officials to prevent any resolution being adopted.
The World Court issued a non-binding opinion Friday that the partially built barrier, which cuts into the West Bank, should be dismantled.
Palestinian President Yasser Arafat hailed the decision at his West Bank headquarters, saying it "was a sign that the world supports the Palestinians in rejecting this wall."
"This wall cannot be imposed on us and this wall will ... be removed," he said.
Israel has said the ruling was invalid because it failed to address its stated reason it built the barrier -- to keep Palestinian suicide bombers out of its cities where they have killed hundreds of people.
Palestinians say the barrier is an "apartheid wall" that will deny them a viable state and has separated thousands from fields, schools and hospitals. Officials said they would demand the 15-nation U.N. Security Council take action.
But officials in Washington, which has in the past vetoed anti-Israeli resolutions at the Security Council, made clear they opposed the U.N.'s involvement on the issue.
"We do not believe that that's the appropriate forum to resolve what is a political issue," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan, adding it should be resolved through an internationally-backed "road map" to peace.
In Gaza, a 16-year-old Palestinian girl was killed by army gunfire near the Gaza-Egypt border, medics said. Military sources said they knew of no such shooting by Israeli troops.
Haneen Abu Samhadana was in her flat when gunfire penetrated the window, hitting her in the chest, her sister said. Continued ...
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