U.S. Stands with Israel against U.N. Action on Barrier

Per Reuters, the U.S. will oppose action by the U.N. based upon the World Court ruling denouncing the security barrier.

Palestinians face a brick wall of U.S. opposition to possible United Nations (news - web sites) action against Israel after the World Court ruled the Jewish state's West Bank barrier was illegal and should be dismantled.

"We don't think there's a need for (U.N.) General Assembly action at this point," State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said after the World Court, the U.N.'s top legal body, announced its non-binding ruling in The Hague (news - web sites) on Friday.

The General Assembly can, and probably will, denounce Israel and demand a dismantling of the barrier. And? And nothing, any General Assembly resolution will be non-binding, and the U.S. will block any Security Council motion. Why? Because we see that the Israelis have a right to defend themselves against Palestinian terrorism. Who cares about the judgement of a "world court" led by a judge from the justice-and-freedom-loving nation of China.

The Palestinians later intend to take their case to the 15-nation Security Council, where the United States -- Israel's main ally, vetoed a resolution last October that sought to bar the Jewish state from extending the West Bank barrier.

In The Hague, Nasser al-Kidwa, the U.N. Palestinian observer, declined to say whether he would push for sanctions against Israel.

"It remains the obligation of the international community to ensure that compliance takes place. We will take it step by step," he said .... The court said the barrier, which is about a third built, "severely impeded" Palestinian rights to self-rule.

I want to go on record as saying the major impediment to Palestinian self-rule is the terrorist Arafat. The Palestinians have had many opportunities to take the peace route; each time, they have found an excuse to venture down the road less traveled by the peaceable.

Opinion polls show strong support in Israel for the project.

"The choice was between the inconveniences which are caused to the Palestinians -- and we recognize that there are inconveniences -- but the fence doesn't kill," said Israeli Vice Premier Ehud Olmert.