Jordan made its case against the West Bank barrier during Tuesday's session at the Hague, the second day of hearings before the United Nations' highest judicial body on the legality of the structure.
Unlike the other countries supporting the Palestinians this week, Jordan views the barrier as a direct threat.
Jordanian representatives told the International Court of Justice in The Hague that Amman was allowing Palestinians to seek in refuge in its territory, due to the problems Israel's separation fence was causing the Palestinians, as hearings on the legality of the barrier went into their second day Tuedsay.
The head of the Jordanian delegation, Ziad Raed Zaid al-Hussein, emphasized that had Israel built the fence along the Green Line, Jordan would not have appeared before the court.
He presented to the court photographs of the fence cutting through Palestinian villages and lands. "We must be realistic, attempt to achieve a diplomatic agreement between Israel and the Palestinians have not made in progress over the past months and there is little chance for any progress being made as long as the wall is being built," al-Hussein said.
"The UN General Assembly has asked for an opinion [on the fence] because it has a responsibility for what goes on in Palestine," he added.
Cuba and Belize also presented their arguments Tuesday morning. "The construction of the wall by Israel violates fundamental principles and norms enshrined in the charter of the United Nations and international law," Cuban Deputy Foreign Minister Abelardo Moreno Fernandez told the 15-judge panel.
Israel is avoiding the hearings, saying the case will undermine future peace negotiations. Instead, it has appealed to world opinion in support of the fence, which it claims is needed for "self defense".
On Monday, the Palestinians presented a detailed case to the court, urging the 15-judge panel to take a strong stand against the contentious barrier, a series of walls, fences, razor wire and trenches. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
