The unvarnished truth about Israel's separation barrier

[Violet_Crumble]

To the Israelis, the recent decision by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to unequivocally condemn the erection of the 630 kilometer Berlin-like wall, which expropriates Palestinian land and gravely violates international covenants and the human rights of Palestinians, was a foregone conclusion. As a point in fact, Israel's apartheid wall is more than twice as high as the Berlin Wall.

Despite owing its very existence to the United Nations' partition plan, Israel continues to vilify the international organization as well as the ICJ, the very court that in the aftermath of the Camp David accords in 1978, adjudicated the Taba dispute between Egypt and Israel. Israel that had occupied the Egyptian town of Taba was forced to withdraw after an international arbitration committee intervened and categorically rejected Israel's allegations to annex the town. This is a telling case in point where certain nations are held to a higher moral ground, yet others feel they can be intransigent.

To the Palestinians and indeed to the majority of the world, perhaps with the United States as the only exception, this was a moral victory that affirmed the right of Palestinians to live free under no occupation and a step to toward securing their inalienable right of self-determination and a life without occupation.

For Palestinians, the repercussions of not having such a ruling meant the establishment of new parameters on the ground, realities and facts imposed on them by the present leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The danger of acquiescing to Israeli unilateral measures in the absence of any clear path to return to the negotiating table means Israel could conveniently construct a wall that confiscates additional Palestinian land while separating Palestinian villages and ultimately changing the demographics under the guise of security, conveniently dubbed a temporary measure.

In its ruling, the ICJ said: "Settlements established by Israel in breach of international law in the occupied Palestinian territory ... construction of the wall and its associated regime create a 'fait accompli' on the ground that could well become permanent ... risk of situation tantamount to de facto annexation ... construction of the wall severely impedes the exercise by the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination and is therefore a breach of Israel's obligation to respect that right."

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=5&article_id=6367

[shockingelk]

1. Kill the UNSC "veto"

Nothing of significance will happen as long as the US, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands keep voting for Israel.

Question for supporters of Zionism. How would you feel if the UN created New Israel out of Texas?

[Joy Anne]

2. geographic location of Israel

Texas isn't a bad idea, but I have always contended that the Jewish homeland should have been Bavaria. Such a decision would have appropriated land from a people who deserved to lose it, not from hapless Middle Easterners uninvolved in WWII, and the landscape, cities, and location would have been comfortable to the European Jews who survived and deserved recompense.

[the Kelly Gang]

3. probably a good idea as the mahjority were from Europe,

[shockingelk]

4. Why should there have been a Jewish homeland at all?

The UN created Israel via fiat. I, and the Founders , believe in self-determination of peoples. And I think such is possible via non-violent means.