Israel firm on West Bank barrier despite UN censure
( 2003-10-22 16:02) (Agencies)
Israel vowed on Wednesday to
press on with building a vast barrier in the West Bank despite a U.N. resolution
condemning the project as a violation of international law and demanding it be
halted.
"The fence will continue being built and we will go on taking care of the
security of Israel's citizens," Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Israel
Radio, reiterating the Jewish state's stance that the barrier is needed to keep
out Palestinian militants waging a three-year-old uprising.
Palestinians say the sprawling network of fences and concrete barricades,
which will eventually loop around Jewish settlements on occupied territory, is a
land grab that prejudges borders that should be negotiated.
The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly passed the resolution on Tuesday.
The vote was carried 144-4, with 12 abstentions, with Israel's key ally the
United States voting against the measure.
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