Israeli wall in court

last updated 8 January 2015

The Hague

The International Court of Justice opened a hearing this week on the legality of the Israeli barrier being built in the West Bank. The case was brought by the U.N. General Assembly. Palestinians argued that the wall constitutes a human-rights violation and an illegal attempt to annex Palestinian land. The court’s ruling, expected in a few months, could have political and symbolic weight, but it is not legally binding, because Israel does not recognize the court’s jurisdiction on the matter. Israel says the wall, intended to keep out suicide bombers, is a national-security question and therefore beyond the International Court’s authority. Outside the courthouse, Israeli protesters carried photos of bombing victims, chanting, “Put Palestinian terror on trial.”