The United States and most European countries will not appear at the International Court of Justice in The Hague to press their arguments regarding the legality of the Israeli barrier in the Palestinian territories, a diplomat said on Wednesday.
Thirteen countries, along with the Palestinian Authority, Arab League and Organisation of Islamic States, will participate when the United Nations court convenes on Monday to hear oral arguments, the diplomat said on condition of anonymity.
The number was far fewer than the 44 UN member countries that submitted written briefs on their position to the court.
The countries scheduled to speak before the 15 judges are Jordan, Algeria, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Cuba, Belize, South Africa, Madagascar, Senegal, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia, the diplomat said.
Britain’s Foreign Office said it had lodged a written submission with the court on January 30 but would not be making an oral statement next week. Britain has condemned the building of the barrier on occupied Palestinian land but believes it is inappropriate for the court to examine the legality of the barrier ”without the consent of both parties”.
”It is our view that the building of a fence on occupied Palestinian land is unlawful but that it is not appropriate for the court to take action without the consent of both parties,” said a spokesperson, on customary condition of anonymity.
Court spokesperson Boris Heim declined to comment on the list. An announcement was due to be released later on Wednesday, he said.
Israel had previously announced it would not send a legal team to the hearings, saying it had nothing to add to its written statement.
In December, the UN General Assembly asked the court for a non-binding advisory opinion on the legal consequences of the barrier.
Israel says it needs the barrier — a system of fences, trenches and walls — to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers.
The Palestinians say the barrier constitutes a land grab, since it cuts deep into the West Bank at points to include several Jewish settlements on the ”Israeli” side, and it disrupts the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians who can’t reach jobs, schools and farmland.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said he is considering changing the route to ease the hardships on the Palestinians.
The International Court of Justice is the UN’s highest legal organ for resolving disputes between countries. It has issued just 22 advisory opinions since 1947, the last of which was in 1998. — Sapa-AP