Protestors paint a Palestinian flag on the separation wall security in the West Bank town of Qalqilya

NEW YORK, October 22 (IslamOnlin.net & News Agencies) – Although the U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly passed a resolution late Tuesday, October 21, demanding Tel Aviv to "stop and reserve" the construction of its separation wall, Israel adamantly insisted on push ahead with building the controversial barrier.

Passed by a vote of 144-4, with 12 countries abstaining, the resolution warned the wall would "prejudge future negotiations and make the two-state solution physically impossible to implement and would cause further humanitarian hardship for the Palestinians," reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

It asserted that the barrier contravenes international law, but fell short of meeting Arab-led demands that the entire matter be referred to the International Court of Justice in the Hague for a legal ruling, reported the BBC News Online.

The resolution further called on Israel not to take any action "undermining trust, including deportations and attacks on civilians and extra-judicial killings."

The measure urged both Israel and the Palestinians to fulfill their obligations under the roadmap, an internationally-sponsored three-stage peace plan that provides for creating a Palestinian state by 2005.

It also called on the Palestinian Authority to "take visible efforts on the ground to arrest, disrupt, and restrain individuals and groups conducting and planning violent attacks" against Israel.

The resolution asked U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to report back in a month's time on Israeli compliance with the U.N. demand and if no changes take place he is tasked to suggest what further actions should be considered, said the British broadcast.

The BBC's Greg Barrow at the UN says that although the resolution sends a clear message to Israel, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding, and carry less weight those passed in the Security Council.

Voting against the resolution were Israel, the United States, Micronesia and the Marshall Islands.

The 600km-long wall will cut occupied Jerusalem off from the rest of the West Bank and effectively cuts off vast swathes of fertile land and scores of villages from the occupied West Bank.

A U.N. report underlined last month that the wall marked illegal annexation of Palestinian territory and must be condemned by the world community.

Few hours after the U.N. report, the defiant Israeli government of Ariel Sharon approved Wednesday, October 1, a new 100-million-dollar section of the controversial barrier.

Washington vetoed on October 15 an Arab-proposed U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the Israeli wall.

The first phase of the barrier was completed in July 2003 in the northern West Bank.

U.S. President George Bush had previously described the wall as "a problem" obstructing the creation of a Palestinian state.

However, he dropped the term four days later when Sharon was visiting him in the White House.

Intransigence

"The whole world is against us and the U.S., and I am proud to be on the side of the Americans," said Olmert

Despite the U.N. resolution, Israel was stubborn to bow to the will of the international community, vowing to push on with the building of the wall.

"The security fence will continue to be built," Israeli Industry Minister Ehud Olmert, who is number two in the government, told Israel public radio Wednesday, October 22.

"We do not take into account the automatic U.N. majority which is systematically hostile towards us…The whole world is against us and the United States, and I am proud to be on the side of the Americans," he added.

Olmert further said that the resolution was not binding and expressed satisfaction that the "European Union prevented a more extreme text".

Commenting on the resolution Tuesday, Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Dan Gillerman said the adoption of the measure was "a disservice to the U.N. and the peace."

"As long as the majority follow this ritual, its no wonder the victims of terrorist look elsewhere to be protected," he argued.

'Victory'

Erakat said Olmert’s remarks "reflect the little importance Israel grants U.N. resolutions and international legitimacy."

For its part, the Palestinian Authority welcomed the resolution, saying it was "a great victory for the peace process."

"We favorably welcome the General Assembly resolution. This is a very important resolution; politically, juridically and morally," chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told AFP Wednesday.

"This resolution is a great victory for the peace process, for international legitimacy, wisdom and (means) a complete rejection of the arrogance of might," added Erakat, who is also a minister without portfolio in prime minister Ahmed Qorei's emergency government.

Commenting on Olmert's statements, Erakat said they "reflect the little importance Israel grants U.N. resolutions and international legitimacy."