Sharon criticises West Bank barrier ruling

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon today harshly criticised the UN world court’s finding that the Israeli West Bank separation barrier is illegal, calling it a “slap in the face” in the fight against terrorism.

Sharon spoke shortly after Palestinian militants bombed a Tel Aviv bus station, killing a woman and wounding more than 20 other people.

“The murderous act this morning is the first that occurred to the credit of the decision of the world court at The Hague,” Sharon said.

The International Court of Justice ruled on Friday that the barrier, which dips into the West Bank, is illegal.

Israel says the barrier is needed to protect against Palestinian militant attacks. But the structure has severely disrupted the lives of thousands of people.

The court’s decision isn’t binding but the Palestinians hope to use the ruling to build support for sanctions against Israel at the United Nations. Israel has pledged to continue construction of the barrier, which is about 25% complete.

“I want to clarify that the state of Israel totally rejects the decision of the world court at The Hague. We are talking about a one-sided decision based only on political considerations,” Sharon said.