Groups challenge Israel's 'illegal' West Bank barrier

ISRAEL'S Supreme Court heard petitions from two human rights groups against the West Bank separation barrier yesterday 24 hours after the government said it would change the route to minimise hardship for Palestinians.

The rights groups argue that any construction on occupied land is illegal and the barrier violates human rights by disrupting lives of thousands of Palestinians.

"It's a matter of building a fence which breaches the human rights of Palestinians along its path," said Avigdor Feldman, lead lawyer for the Centre for the Defence of the Individual.

The International Court of Justice in the Netherlands is to examine the barrier's legality in two weeks time.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Aharon Barak, who presided at yesterday's hearing, said the three-judge panel would issue a ruling "as soon as possible," but didn't say whether the decision would come before the case in The Hague.

Israel insists the barrier is necessary to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers, who have killed hundreds in three years of violence. Palestinians say it is a land grab aimed at preventing them from creating a state. The barrier is seen as part of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's emerging plan to separate Israelis and Palestinians. Sharon has said he will carry out other parts of his plan, including the removal of most Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, if peace efforts fail in the coming months. Mr Sharon, aged 75, who has come under criticism both from the Palestinians and within his own government for his disengagement plan, cancelled all events on his schedule yesterday to undergo treatment for kidney stones in the urinary tract, his office said.

He is expected back at work tomorrow.

Leaders of the 7,800 Gaza settlers yesterday said they were preparing to move 500 families into the area to thwart Mr Sharon's plan.

A senior Palestinian official, Yasser Abed Rabbo, said yesterday that Yasser Arafat's government is considering declaring an independent state, including the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem, if Israel tries to impose a boundary.

Abed Rabbo, who is close to Mr Arafat, said many at a weekend meeting of Palestinian leaders supported the idea but did confirm Arafat's stance on the issue.

An aide to Mr Sharon, Zalman Shoval, said Israel could react by annexing disputed land if the Palestinians declare a state unilaterally.

In new violence, two Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops in Gaza, Palestinian sources said.

One was identified as Khalil Bawadi, a 22-year-old member of Hamas. The second was a 17-year-old boy.