The ICRC says the wall is a “violation of the International Humanitarian Law”

GENEVA, February 19 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Breaking its silence on the issue of Israel’s wall, the International Red Cross slammed Israel’s separation wall into the West Bank as a violation of the International Law.

“The ICRC's opinion is that the West Bank Barrier, in as far as its route deviates from the 'Green Line' into occupied territory, is contrary to IHL (International humanitarian law),” the ICRC said in a press release issued Wednesday, February 18.

The ICRC statement, carried by Agence France-Presse (AFP), came less than a week before the international Court of Justice (ICJ) examine the legality of the wall on February 23.

“The Barrier deprives thousands of Palestinian residents of adequate access to basic services such as water, health care and education, as well as sources of income such as agriculture and other forms of employment,” the ICRC added.

The Green Line between Israel and the West Bank appeared at the end of the 1948 Arab-Israeli invasion.

“The ICRC therefore calls upon Israel not to plan, construct or maintain this barrier within occupied territory” as this would have serious humanitarian and economic consequences for thousands of Palestinians.

Occupying Power

The ICRC, which guarantees the Geneva Conventions on the rules of war, generally seeks to remain neutral, and rarely expresses an opinion on issues directly linked to the policies of states.

It based Wednesday's statement on Israel's responsibility as an occupying power.

The statement by the ICRC was the first time the Red Cross had condemned the wall, which variously consists of lengths of razor wire, electronic fencing, concrete and ditches.

The Red Cross said that “Palestinian communities situated between the 'Green Line' and the Barrier are effectively cut off from the Palestinian society to which they belong”.

“The construction of the West Bank Barrier continues to give rise to widespread appropriation of Palestinian property and extensive damage to or destruction of buildings and farmland,” read the statement.

“The problems affecting the Palestinian population in their daily lives clearly demonstrate that it runs counter to Israel's obligation under IHL to ensure the humane treatment and well-being of the civilian population living under its occupation,” the statement said.

More than 200,000 Palestinians are already suffering the humanitarian consequences of the separation wall, according to the United Nations.

The 180-kilometer (113-mile) segment completed so far has cut off villages from markets, medical services and schools in the northern West Bank.

Balthasar Staehelin, ICRC delegate-general for the Middle East and North Africa, said the ICRC had "had a constructive dialogue with the Israeli authorities on the impact of the barrier" in private but decided to go public as it now has "a sufficiently informed opinion of the consequences”.

‘Directly Harmed’

The wall has resulted in the confiscation of 11,4000 dunums (2,850 acres - 1,140 hectares) of privately-owned Palestinian land and in the destruction of 102,320 trees, a report by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has found.

As to the projected effects of the wall once it is completed, OCHA estimated in December 2003 that 30 percent of the West Bank population, or some 680,000 people, will be "directly harmed."

The International Court of Justice, often referred to as the world court, is due to begin sitting on the legality of the separation barrier from next Monday, but Israel has decided to boycott the hearing by not sending any legal representatives to The Hague.

An official at Israel's state prosecutor office Friday, February 13, expected the IICJ to come down against the wall, as Israeli President Moshe Katsav was greeted with protests calling for demolishing the barrier during his visit to France this week.

A former report by the U.N. issued on November 2003 said that Israel's separation wall will lead to severe humanitarian consequences for more than 680,000 Palestinians (30 percent).

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan had also appealed for halting its construction, saying the wall would be a blow to chances for peace in the region. U.S. President George W. Bush called the wall a “problem”.