UNITED NATIONS, July 21: The United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday voted overwhelmingly to demand that Israel obey the world court ruling, which declared the construction of a separation barrier in and around the West Bank to be illegal.

Israel, however, vowed to continue the construction of its West Bank barrier despite the UN resolution. The lopsided vote, 150 to 6 with 10 abstentions, against Israel's construction of the wall in the occupied West Bank came as a consequence of negotiations between the Arab group and the European Union.

The General Assembly also called on all the UN member states to comply with their obligations as contained in the finding by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which include a duty "not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in and around East Jerusalem" and "not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by such construction".

On July 9 the International Court of Justice (ICJ) - the UN's principal judicial organ - issued a ruling saying the separation barrier was illegal and that construction must stop immediately.

The Court also said Israel should make reparations for any damage caused, and that the Assembly and the Security Council should consider the steps it can take "to bring to an end the illegal situation" created by the barrier.

The resolution, brought forward by Jordan on behalf of the Arab states, also asks Secretary-General Kofi Annan to set up a register of the damages caused to "all the natural or legal persons" in connection with Israel's construction of the barrier.

The Assembly called on both the government of Israel and the Palestinian Authority to immediately implement their obligations under the peace plan sponsored by the UN, the European Union, the Russian Federation and the United States, which calls for a series of parallel and reciprocal steps by each party leading to two states living side-by-side in peace by 2005.

Voting against the measure were Australia, the Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, the Marshall Islands, Palau and the United States.

US rejects vote

WASHINGTON: White House spokesman Scott McClellan on Wednesday dismissed the UN General Assembly vote to condemn Israel's West Bank barrier, saying it was not "the appropriate way" to promote Middle East peace. -AFP