13 February 2004	Friday	21 Zilhaj 1424

TEL AVIV, Feb 12: Israel said on Thursday it would boycott a World Court hearing on whether it should tear down a barrier taking in Jewish settlements on occupied West Bank territory that Palestinians want for a state.

Israeli officials say the barrier being erected inside the West Bank is meant to keep out suicide bombers and has thwarted dozens of attacks. Palestinians call it a bid to annex land they need for a viable state since it snakes deep into the West Bank.

The stalemate underlined the paralysis in Middle East peacemaking and came a day after Israel killed 15 Palestinians in a major army assault into the Gaza Strip, triggering vows of large-scale suicide attacks by vengeful Palestinian militants.

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office, announcing the boycott, said special legal advisers feared the World Court session would lend credence to a case that Israel sees as politically motivated and beyond the tribunal's jurisdiction.

Israel would make do with an affidavit it filed with the court last month outlining these misgivings, the office said. Any ruling by the tribunal, based in The Hague, would be non-binding, but Israel is concerned a finding against it would be so influential that it might spawn UN Security Council action against it.

The World Court hearing, due to begin on Feb 23, was scheduled at the request of the UN General Assembly, where pro-Palestinian sentiment is strong. "I hope this Israeli decision will not affect the court's endeavour to carry out its obligation," Palestinian Labour Minister Ghassan al-Khatib said.

Wednesday's Gaza violence damaged efforts to arrange an Israeli-Palestinian summit in the hope of reviving a US-backed peace plan and came amid signs of Israeli army concern about Sharon's plan to remove settlers from Gaza. -Reuters