Jordan Times
Friday, July 16, 2004
PM urges int'l decision to 'remove hateful wall'
AMMAN (JT) — Jordan and the Palestinians are
seeking a UN decision to force Israel into accepting the world court ruling to
tear down its controversial barrier.
"We and our Palestinian brothers are cooperating to take the International Court
of Justice [ICJ] ruling to the UN to take an international legitimate decision
and pressure Israel to remove the hateful wall," Prime Minister Faisal Fayez was
quoted Thursday by the Jordan News Agency, Petra, as saying at a joint press
conference with his Yemeni counterpart Abdul Kader Bajammal in Sanaa.
He reiterated that the barrier around the West Bank "kills Palestinian hopes to
establish an independent state and threatens the Kingdom's interests."
According to Agence France-Presse, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said Jordan
called for a UN meeting on behalf of Arab countries to issue a declaration of
support for last week's ruling by the ICJ that the barrier is in breach of
international law.
The court said Israel must halt construction of the 680-kilometre complex of
concrete walls, razor-wire, trenches and watchtowers, dismantle it and
compensate Palestinians whose lives have been harmed by it.
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia was in Amman on Wednesday to discuss
with Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad Halaiqa preparations for the UN meeting, a
Palestinian diplomat told AFP.
"They discussed ways of coordinating the positions of Jordan and the Palestinian
Authority concerning the wall," after the world court's ruling, he said.
A draft resolution introduced by Arab nations and the Non-Aligned Movement of
116 mostly developing countries demands that Israel tear down the barrier. It is
expected to go to a vote in the UN General Assembly on Friday.
The General Assembly can call for the barrier to be torn down, and it can
recommend sanctions if Israel fails to comply. But only the 15-member Security
Council can order such actions. The United States has vetoed such measures in
the past.
Media reports said Israel had an US pledge to veto any sanctions bid in the
Security Council.
Fayez concluded a two-day visit to Yemen and returned to Jordan yesterday after
meeting President Ali Abdullah Saleh for talks on bilateral and regional issues.