Battle over the Barrier

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that Israel should dismantle its West Bank barrier, no matter how unhappy they are with the U.N. General Assembly resolution and, thus heed to the ruling of the International World Court.Israeli officials have already reacted saying they will not.

The Bush administration is dismissing a United Nations General Assembly resolution condemning Israel's West Bank barrier. The resolution supports a ruling by the International Court of Justice, which declares the construction of that barrier illegal and says it should be dismantled, reports Voice of America.

White House spokesman Scott McClellan says the non-binding U.N. resolution is one-sided and fails to recognize the need to solve the dispute politically.

As Reuters informed, Israeli officials says the array of razor-tipped fences and concrete walls is needed to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers while Palestinians condemn it as an "apartheid wall" that takes away land they want for a future independent state.

The General Assembly resolution, like the court opinion, is not legally binding but carries symbolic weight.

Only the 15-nation Security Council could take action against Israel in case of noncompliance. But the United States, Israel's closest ally, would be certain to use its council veto power to protect the Jewish state.