Palestinians and Israelis demonstrate against the wall (AFP)

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, February 8 (IslamOnline.net) - Israel is to reroute its controversial separation wall by moving it towards the Green Line separating Israel and the West Bank in a bid to secure U.S. support for the barrier, Israeli press reported Sunday, February 8.

Haaretz daily quoted Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s chief bureau, Dov Weisglass, as saying the wall would be about 600 kilometers long, 100 kilometers shorter than approved by the government.

A senior Israeli official added that the new route would be presented to three high-ranking U.S. officials, William Burns, Elliot Abrams and Steve Hadley, when they visit Israel later this week.

Maariv daily said the aim was to secure U.S. support for the annexation of settlements which will eventually lie on the Israeli side of the barrier, springing up across the West Bank jutting into Palestinian land, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The major settlements of Ariel and Maale Adumim are expected to fall on the Israeli side of the wall when it is completed next year.

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

The defiant Israeli government of Ariel Sharon approved last October a new 100-million-dollar section of the controversial barrier.

The Palestinians – backed by a large part of the international community – maintain that the wall, which cuts deep into the West Bank , is nothing but an Israeli land-grab and a bid to pre-empt the borders of their future state.

In September, a U.N. report branded the wall as illegal annexation of Palestinian territory and must be condemned by the world community.

The legality of the wall is to be the subject of a hearing before the International Court of Justice in The Hague on February 23.

Following an Arab-backed resolution, the United Nations General Assembly asked the ICJ to rule on the legality of the barrier.

Although the court can only give an advisory opinion and its rulings are not legally binding, a negative verdict would be hugely embarrassing to Israel .

Rallying Support

Meanwhile, Sharon is now rallying support for his controversial Gaza evacuation plan among skeptical members of his Likud party.

The plan is aimed at dismantling the Gush Katif settlements in the Gaza Strip, which are inhabited by some 7,500 Jews among over 1.2 million Palestinians.

Sharon has met Sunday with Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom and will be meeting in the days to come with other Likud ministers to explain the principles behind his disengagement plan, his spokesman Assaf Shariv told AFP.

Shariv said Sharon would hold talks on Monday, February 9, with his powerful Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Limor Livnat, both seen as two of his most likely successors.

Meetings have also been arranged for Thursday, February 12, with Agriculture Minister Israel Katz and Minister with Portfolio Uzi Landau.

Sharon said last week that an Israeli pullout from Gaza was crucial for Israel ’s survival.

He also plans to hand over Arab Israeli towns to the Palestinians in exchange for settlement land in the West Bank in a future deal.

Settlers' leaders in Gaza threatened to bring down Sharon 's coalition government as members of his party also threatened to quit in protest at the settlement plans.