Jordan Times
Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Jordan to back
Palestinian UN campaign against barrier
AMMAN (AFP) — Jordan will back Palestinian efforts to lobby support at
the United Nations for a resolution aimed at halting the construction of
Israel's controversial West Bank barrier, a senior official said on Monday.
“Jordan will back the Palestinian efforts in coordination with the Arab
countries in order to halt the construction of the wall,” Minister of State and
Government Spokesperson Asma Khader told her weekly press conference. “It is in
our interest to see the work stopped and the dismantling of sections already
erected.”
The Palestinian Authority, with observer status at UN headquarters in New York,
has been lobbying the Arab bloc to push for a Security Council resolution
against the barrier.
While they are aware that the United States would likely veto any such
resolution, especially if it calls for sanctions, the Palestinians believe that
a Security Council debate would add to the pressure on Israel.
Jordan, although it has a 1994 peace treaty with Israel, is one of the
staunchest opponents of the separation barrier.
In February, Amman told the International Court of Justice that it feared
construction of the fence could trigger an exodus of Palestinians into its own
territory.
“An independent Palestinian state is the only guarantee for security in this
region,” Khader said.
The world court in The Hague ruled in July that parts of the barrier built
within the West Bank are illegal and should be torn down.
The nonbinding verdict was bolstered later the same month when the UN General
Assembly voted overwhelmingly, with the support of the 25-member European Union,
in favour of calling on Israel to dismantle the barrier.
Israel — which insists that the barrier is essential for its security — has
ignored both rulings and announced plans to step up the construction.
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom predicted Sunday that the Palestinians
would fail to secure the nine votes needed for the 15-member Security Council to
debate the barrier.
The Palestinians charge that by designing a montage of concrete walls, razor
wire and electronic fencing that often juts deep into their territory, the
Israelis have shown their real intent of grabbing more of their land.