Israel firm on West Bank barrier despite UN censure
( 2003-10-22 16:02) (Agencies)
Israel vowed on Wednesday to press on with building a vast barrier in the West Bank despite a U.N. resolution condemning the project as a violation of international law and demanding it be halted.
"The fence will continue being built and we will go on taking care of the security of Israel's citizens," Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Israel Radio, reiterating the Jewish state's stance that the barrier is needed to keep out Palestinian militants waging a three-year-old uprising.
Palestinians say the sprawling network of fences and concrete barricades, which will eventually loop around Jewish settlements on occupied territory, is a land grab that prejudges borders that should be negotiated.
The U.N. General Assembly overwhelmingly passed the resolution on Tuesday. The vote was carried 144-4, with 12 abstentions, with Israel's key ally the United States voting against the measure.
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