As construction site of the wall in the village of Abu Dis near occupied Jerusalem (AFP)

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, January 15 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Joining an international chorus of critics, fifteen bishops from Europe and the Americas on Thursday, January 15, blasted the separation wall being constructed by the Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank.

"We have seen the devastating effect of the wall currently being built through the land and homes of Palestinian communities," the bishops said in a statement issued after four-day talks in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem and in occupied Jerusalem.

"This appears to be a permanent structure, dividing families, isolating them from their farmland and their livelihoods, and cutting off religious institutions," the statement added.

The statement coincided with the departure of Israel's two chief rabbis for the Vatican for a meeting with Pope John Paul II, slated for Friday, January 15.

In November, the pontiff dismissed the controversial barrier as "a new obstacle to peace" and underlined that the Middle East "does not need walls but bridges".

The bishops also complained that "some priests, seminarians, sisters, brothers, and lay personnel are being denied or are having difficulties in obtaining visas and residence permits to study and work in Israel and the Palestinian territories."

"These constitute genuine impediments to the churches' capacity to carry out their mission at the service of the people of the Holy Land," the statement added.

When completed, the barrier will run as deep as 22 kilometers into West Bank land and cut off some 400,000 Palestinians.

The 600-kilometer barrier will also leave several Palestinian towns and villages completely isolated.

Israel argues that the wall, which cuts several miles into the West Bank, is a security necessity to head off Palestinian attacks.

However, Palestinians fear it is yet another Israeli attempt to usurp more of their lands and predetermine the borders of their future independent state.

In September, a U.N. report underlined that the separation wall marked illegal annexation of Palestinian territory and must be condemned by the world community.

U.N. General Assembly on December 8, approved a resolution calling for the International Court of Justice to give a legal ruling on the controversial wall.

U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is likely to appear before the court, had earlier described the wall as a blow to peace and a "deeply counterproductive" act in violation of international law.

Washington has been accused of warding off world-wide pressures on Israel to dismantle the barrier.

On October 15, the U.S. used its veto  power in the U.N. Security Council to scupper an Arab-proposed resolution condemning the barrier.

Hawkish Sharon had recently vowed to complete the wall, asserting that the construction " will not stop."