United Nations: Armed with the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling that Israeli barrier in West Bank was "illegal", Arabs will demand a UN (United Nation) General Assembly meet to force Israel to dismantle the wall even as Tel Aviv made it clear the it would not "bow to the decision".

Even as Arabs were celebrating the victory though the opinion of the world court is non-binding, Israel denounced the order and accused the International Court of Justice of failing to address the "indiscriminate and murderous campaign of Palestinian terrorism against Israelis". Hailing the decision, Arabs said it showed that Israel is in violation of the international law and the barrier lacked international legitimacy. Arab ambassadors said they would send a letter shortly seeking an Assembly meeting on the issue next week where Israel is expected to come under strong denunciation from Arab and Islamic nations.

The 191-member Assembly, where Arabs have overwhelming majority of votes, could adopt a resolution asking Israel to dismantle the wall and stop further construction of the Barrier. But its decisions, unlike those of the 15-member Security Council, are not enforceable. The court had been "taken for ride" and abused by the "forces of evil" that were trying to derail the real move towards peace in the Middle East," Israel's UN Ambassador Dan Gillerman told reporters within hours of the ICJ order and made it clear that it "would not bow to world court's decision".

"This is a dark day for the International Court of Justice and the international legal system," Gillerman said. In the Security Council, it is difficult for Arabs to get such a resolution through as the United States is sure to block any such attempt.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan had sought the opinion of the Court in December on the legality of barrier that Israel is constructing after the Assembly at the instance of Palestinian adopted a resolution to seek the advisory opinion of ICJ.

Annan is conveying the decision of the Court to the Assembly to let it decide the future course of action, diplomats and officials said on Friday (July 9,2004). The Court found the construction of the barrier, which comprises concrete walls, razor wire fences, watch towers and trenches, "illegal" and opined that about one fourth about 700 km long wall already constructed should be dismantled.

The barrier, it ruled, violated the international law and urged the United Nations to take action to halt its construction. The 15-judge Court said the barrier in the occupied Palestinian territory "gravely" infringed on the rights of Palestinians, and could not be justified by military needs or national security.

Israel was also asked to pay reparations to Palestinians harmed by the barrier and return land seized to construct it. Though the widely anticipated advisory decision is non-binding.