International Court terms wall illegal

The current US administration's commitment to international law has been called into serious question by its own unlawful invasion and occupation of Iraq, and standing in the way of the UN Security Council's compliance with the ICJ directive would only serve as yet another example of the Bush administration's contempt for international law and the opinion of the international community.

There can be little argument that the wall being constructed by the Sharon administration is both unlawful as well is immoral. There can be no justification for the fact that 85 percent of the wall is being built on Palestinian land or that 200,000 Palestinians will be trapped on the Israeli side of the wall that cuts through villages and townships, and has necessitated the demolition of hundreds of buildings, tens of thousands of tress, and miles of important infrastructure such as water networks.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

This would not be the first time that the Israeli government has defied international law and opinion, but the salient fact here, as ever, is the support of the US, which has provided it with its military, economic, and political life-line.

Crucially, the ICJ has issued its directive not only to the Israeli government, but also to the UN Security Council. It remains to be seen whether the US will, once again, use its veto to thwart the will of the international community and to contravene international law.

With the US currently bogged down in Iraq and President Bush's ambitious plans to remake the Middle East foundering, it seems worthwhile to note that continued unthinking support for Sharon's wall is no way to win the hearts and minds in the Middle East.