Palestinians demand removal of West Bank barrier, compensation

Demand comes on 9th anniversary of publication of the Int'l Court of Justice's report on legal consequences of barrier.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
West Bank security fence barrier wall settlement 311 (R) (photo credit: Reuters)
West Bank security fence barrier wall settlement 311 (R)
(photo credit: Reuters)
The Palestinians on Wednesday reiterated their demand for the implementation of the recommendations of the International Court of Justice concerning the security barrier in the West Bank.
The demand came on the ninth anniversary of the publication of the court’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences of the barrier.
The court’s ruling said the barrier was illegal and called for dismantling it and compensating those affected.
The PLO’s negotiating department said in a statement that Israel is “obligated to dismantle the wall and its settlement enterprise.”
Noting that nine years have passed since the court’s recommendations were published, the departments said that “land grab, forced displacement of Palestinian communities, Israeli settlement expansion and other violations continue to mount up as Israel continues enjoying an unprecedented culture of impunity.”
The PLO called on the international community to hold Israel accountable for its “severe violations.”
“This is the barrier to peace,” the PLO said. “For as long as the international community continues to treat Israel as a state above the law, impunity will prevail over justice.”
A group called the Palestinian National Committee for the Register of Damage Caused by the Wall called on the United Nations to implement the court recommendations immediately.
The committee also called on the Palestinians to take advantage of their new status as non-member observer in the UN to ask international agencies to force Israel to remove the barrier.
The committee said that Palestinians should not negotiate with Israel until the barrier is removed and construction in the settlements halted.
PLO Executive Committee member Hanan Ashrawi also called on the UN to implement the court’s advisory opinion and dismantle the barrier.
Ashrawi said that Israel was continuing to “challenge” the court order by pursuing work at the barrier. “The time has come to pursue Israel legally in international forums and courts,” she said.