01/29/U4 .LHU 1tc:JJ PAL Z1Z YOJ 04JU UUJ
Cour internationalede Justice
Enregistréau Greffe le #
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International Courtof Justi-!-. !"Pf-. (
Filed inthe Registryo:
THE SECRETARY-GENERAL
Pursuant to the Orderof the Court datcd 19December 2003,I liave
the honour to transmit to the Courta Minttenstatement intlicase ofLegal
Consequences ofrheConstructionof a Wu11 in the OccupieclPalesrinian
Territory (Requesffor Advisory Opinion).
1 also have the honourto iillormyouthat thc UnitedNations will not
present oralstatcrnenlsand cornmentslo the Court duringthe hearii~gsof tht
said case.
Yleaseaccepi,Excellency,thc assirances of myhighest consideratio .
9
Iris iixccllency
Mr. ShiJiuyong
President ofthe International Courtof 3us~icc
'I'heHague OFF. OLEGALCOUNSEL -
01/29/04THU18:31 FAX 212 963 6130
INTERNATIONAL COURT OFJUSTICE
WlUTTENSTATEMENT
INTHECASECONCEIRNING
(UNITEDNATIONS)
LEGAL CONSEOUENCES OFTHE CONSTRUCTION OFA WALL
INTHE OCCUPIEDPALESTLYIAN TEWTORY
JREQUEST FORADVISORYOPTNION) OFF.OF LEGAL COUNSEL
1
Written Statement Submittedto the International Court of
Justice by the Secretary-Generalof the United Nations
Introduction
1. On 8 Dcccnlber 2003, the United Kations Gaiei-al Assembly iidoptcd resolution
AfUSIES-10114, wheieby it decided, in accordancewith Ai-ticl36 of ihe Chaiter of rheUni~ecl
Nations to rcquest rhe Inrernarionsl Court ofJusnce (hereafter"ihe Court") pursuant ro65rticle
of tlic Stature of rhe Cour[O uugcntlyrender an advisory opinion oii the following qu-.n:
"Whar are he lzgal coiiscqucnces arisiiig from the conshuction of tliewall bein; built by Israel,
hé occ~ipyingPowei, in rhe Occupied Palcstiiliaii Territoiy, incllidiin and around East
Jcnisalaii, as described in the report of tlie Secrerary-General, consideiinç rhe rules and
principlesoî inicrnationalaw, including rhe Polirth Gcneva Coilvenrion 1949, and relevant
Sccunty Counciland General Assernblyrcsolutioiis?"
2. Dyan Orda datcd 19 December 2003.conccrningtliccase of LegalCo~~sequencc nf'rlic!
Conslructioilof a JVall in rlreOccuprerl Pnlesrirriati Tcvrirorrhe Co~ut csta1)lished rhe
procediuçs to be followed in this cnst. By tliat Order, the Court décidiilrer alirhar "the
LrnitcdNations and itsMernber Siaies arc coilsidered likely, in accardai~cewirh Article 66,
paragaph 2 of the Stah~e of rhe COLUIt,obc 2bIeto furnish infwtionoii al1aspecrsraiseby
thc questioii subrnined ro hc Court foi advisory opinLiun". Accoidingly, rhe following
informarionis stibnuticdto supplementthe inf~rrr~~noiitaineinthe report of the
Scçreiaq-Gcneral of 24 November 2003 (.MES-10/238)preparld pursuant to General Assçmbly
resolutio.andconcems devclopiuentj wirhrespect io thc conshuction otheBarricr whichhave
raicalplacc sincethe issuance of dur report.
3. Unlzss oihrrwisc indicated, factual ~nfornution in tliis submissisbdscd on field
observarions and rcscarch coiiducted by United Nahoiis' officials be~éen 25 Nnveinber 2003
and 25 January 2004, as well ss inlormation obtained by die Uniicd Nations from compctcnt
lsracli authoiities, as facilibyrihc Isracli Minisuy of Forçip Affaiis.A senior UNSCO
oiticial also touied rhe area accompaniby the head oî ihc Scam Zone Adminiscraiionin the
IsracliMinisny of Definse on 22 January2004.
1. Phases of the Route CompletcdorUnderConstruction
Overview
4. Accordmg io ncwly updated information,thc consbuction of theBarrier is divitled iriio
four phases. Tu datc, approxirnarely 190kilornct~esothe Barrier havcbrai cornple~ed.This
comprises Pltuse Aand most ofPhare B, whichincludepan of ihe ccnhal and iioitheWesl Bank
andtwo short strctches 1101thand south or Jcnisalcm. New construcrionbcgail in early Drcembcr
2003 onPhrrse C in part of the ceiiual WBank snd Jemalem. Work bas yct to stai-ton Phase
U, whichis planned for the soiirhm WcstBank. OFF.OF LEGAL COUNSEL
5. Ncw conlponcnis arc b&g addcd io thc cornplctcd Barricr coiiiplcx, includiiiç at least
wo of five plaimed major crossinpterminal5alonç the Barriertharare rnodzlledofterrhc Erez and
Ksrni crossings in tlic CiaraS~p. Accordin:: to infoi~nationprovid~dto tlie Uiiited Nations,
several lieu?West Bank roads will be part of the Barrier coinplex, andare planned or undzr
consrrucrion: 13 for Palesrinians covering 57 kilomelres and sevm for kraclk covaing 17
kilomeries.In addition. rheroute ofthe Darrizr to the north and soiiihoTJerusalmrou~yfollows
existing Israeli plans for anerial roads. including an essiern ringrond ioUiesothc cityand a
mororwayro die noah, IIighway 45.
Phase A
6. Tiiis initial part of the Ramier, which. according ro updared idonnation, rms 150
liilomeues from the Salem checkpoinrnonh of Jenin 10 the sctilcm~ntof Elkaiia in the ceiitial
Wcsi Bs& includiiig thc double bai~ici. around the Raqa Shaiqiya enclave, was declared
completed oii 31 July 2003. Cunent activity in rhis area involves adjustmenis tu tlic Bar-ricr's
route, the consunicrion of a crossing terminal, and road work.Unilcd Nations officiais on the
çiound calculare rhar the Barrier haç pur approximitcl16,000 Palcstiniailinenclaves, areaç
encircled by the Barrier thar open intrhc West E9d. This includes around 5.300 Palesrinians
berween rht Barrie and Grrcn Line m "Closcd Arcas" where Isi-aelrequires permirs or idenriiy
cards ïor Pslcsiinisns wliorcsidc thcrc. Anothm 8,200 Palesthians live in arras whch arc subjcct
to thc Military Ordu rhat createdthe "Closed kens" ("Ordtr Concminp Sccuiity Directives
(Judea and Samarie) (niimber 378),1970, Dcclaratioii Coiiceniiiiç the Closure of Area Niimber
sQ103 (Scam Arca)" of 2 October 2003, hereinafter referreclro as rhe "Closed Arcas Ordcr"), but
wliercthe pmit system iscurrentlynot implemenrtd.
7. The Nnzlnt Issa Baqa Sharqiya enclave. As part of thPhase A construction complered
inJuly 2003, a Barrier section was builIO &e easi of this cnclave in [lie noiihern Wesr Bank,
placing irs approxknarely 6,700peoplcbctwccn thc &eeu 1-iiieand the Barrier. In lare Novcmbcr
2003, Israel began consbictingancw Bsrricr section aloiiç the Green Lineto thc cnclavc's wcst,
which is almort cornplctcd. Solile oitmns directly rhough the town ofsNazlat Issa, wliere a
concrclc wall six-iueters I~igliaiid800 merers lon~has bem conskuc~cd.Thc niclave is uiider the
Closed Areas Order but residmrs art not yrr rcquircd to obtain permits IOremain rhere. 'The
UniredNations has becn inl'mcd that the éastside of die Barrier willtveni~iabcypulled dom,
althouglitlicre is no evidei~ceofthisyet on rhe groiind.
S. îulkorern l~ifrastniciu~e. major crossin: terminal is unde constriiction oii the Green
Llnr just south of tlie tom11of Tulkarem, diie for complciian in May 2004. According ts
inforrnanoi) made available ro rhzUnitedNalions, it is niodelled oii Karni crossing inGaza
and will also includes fiicl drpot, -m~ycamp aiid adjaceiir industrial zone. To thc csst of tliis
irrrnin31, consiruciion lm startcon an undeipass benearh a road ihei smiccs sevsral Tsraeli
seillemmts io providc Palestiiiiansaccess to filkarem from thc so~ith.Improveinents ai'ealso
undcrway on ailunpaved teniaiy roadnear iheBarricr bctwccnTulkareinand Qalqiliya.
9. The Qulqiliya- Habla e~iclaves.Jsrael liasre~ovtd the perrnannit clieckpoint easrof the
cncirclcd town of Qalqiliya.althouçhtemporary chtckpoints can stillblock movrmmi in and out.
In rnid-January 2004, ~onsrx~iciiosntartcd on a set of underpasbenearh[hc road servicinç the
serilttmzntAlk Mcn~slic to çive Palsstiiiiansin ihe nzighbouring Habla enclave access 10
Qalqiliya.A crossin; point for goodsand people is beirlglevelled io thc castheIWO enclaves.
whae the Bamcr crosscs tlicniaiiiroad rothe ci- of Nablus.01/29/04 THU 18:35 FAX212 963 6430
Phase B
10. TliisPliase is planncd to nm approxinlatc40 kilonictrcscast fionthcSalm chcckpoint
along the nortliem partof the CrrcenLiiic to thc Jordan Vallcy. Tlic Govcrnmciit of Isracl had
nmouncetl a Decernber 2003 completion date, but constiuctioii continues. Tlie first sections of
thisPhase, whichruns near orsn the GretriLine rhrotiglirhe Gilboa Mountains IOthe village of
al-Mutilla above the Jordan Vallcy, are iicarly complctTmo additioiial scctionofthe Rai-ricr
divape ar this point. Construction srarred in early Janicory2004on one seaion rrun sue easr
to tlicJordanian border. Thc othcr scchon is pliinncdrun duc sou& and away froni ÙicGrc~n
Line to the village of Taysjr. Israeli officiaisiiifomed theUnitedNatious that this section mayiiot
bc cornpleted,nllhoughevidencr of consrnicrioncan beseen.
1.1. ./alairieh Checl~ointMqor constructionwork i5undawsy at this clicckpoi~lt,whicli is
due noi-chof Jeiiiil aiid fuiictiasthc primary point of mtry bctwcen Israel and the northel-ii
West Rank. Tlie United Nations understands that a crossinç terminal and army camp aie beinc
erected. andan indusuial zone isalso planiiedfor thesite.
Phase C(Excluding OccupiedEastJerusalem)
12. Constlucrion srnrredin carlyDecember 2003 on Pha~eC.which runs from the içrminus
of PhaseA, ncar thc Isracli scttlcmcnt Elkain thccentralWcst Bank, to tlic villaof Nu'inan,
sburheas~of Jelusalem Ir is divided inrorhree differenrsrriges,wirhwork uncltrway along severa!
pcirtsof Cl, which rom the bulk of the rouit: SrageC2 is the so-called "hicl S:ilicni",whicli1s
pldnncd io cil(iito 22 kilomctrcs into ihc WcstBank to incorporatc 52,000 Isracli scttle~s. The
Uilitcd Nations has bccn infornlcd lhat this stagc will bethe last to be built, apparently iiipart due
to iiitenial aiid iiiteniatioiial pressure to change tlie route. Stage C3 comprises wo eig10 ro
kilornetie "depdi bairiers" that coiinecrbeween serpenrinesegmenrs of tht Barrier in ihr south-
central WesrBank.
13. Srage CI. Coiistniction staited in eaily Decernber2003 along pam of rhs courein rht
cinrral WesrBad. Thefusr is along a norrh-sourhn,Usbcrweenthe villages oîRanils snd Budnis,
wliac 111c CjrccnLinc hcads southcast toward Jcnisaleni. hpproxin~atelyfour l<ilometi.esof the
Ranier out of a total o40 ltilometresin this ares is currzntlyunder consrrucrion,mosrly near the
CireenLine. Ir is projected dix abour36 kilomerresofLhzBamm planntd in tlis arca nus csst of
the GreenLine. In laie Decernber 2003, a set of land conliscaiion mdcrs was issued iii sweral
villages in he municipalily of Bci~iniiidong chcplanilcdroutof tlic Bairicas it continues east
toward J~nsslm. Much of il^ partof thc rourc dcviates fioni tlie CireenTaine,reachinç up to
seveiiItiloinetresiiiside the West Rank at the pointwheitconneca wirh a complered section of
PltcrseA consrr~ictionarOfer MiliraryCampsoiilhof Ramdlah.
14. SfageC3. The two plrimed "deprh barriers" of thissrngzrlm tip to ninc hlomcircs insidc
il~t:WestEank. Thc Uniitd Nations iindcrslandsthat thc exact components or stait date for
consiniction liavc not yct bccn dctm-mincd,but if cornplered, rhey will form IWO en-1aves
eiicoinpassing72,000 Palesrinians i24 comrnunities.Onedepthbairier runs norih-south,roughly
para1Ielwirh currenr consrnicrion bztweeri the villagcs of Rsniis and Budrus ilotcd in paragraph
12.Tlic Unitcd Nations lias bccn inforrncd tiiat this "dcpth barria" is necessary to piovide a
secure zoiie for nearby Beii Gurioii AirpoThe orlièi.depth bariier mns east-west along a ridgc
rhatis saidrobe pan of the route ofHighway45, a motoiwayuiider consrrucrion.01/29/04 THU 18:35 FAX 212 963 6430 OFF.OF LEGAL COUNSEL
4
Phase C (Occupied East .lcrusalem)
15. Further consuuaion started in latc Novanber 2003 along rht soulh-csstcin pait of
Israel's self-declared rnimicipsl bo~mdaryfor Jerusalem. It r10ssix kilomemes inside the
Green Linc, fromtlie suburban village of El-llzariya south to an existing Barrier section ncar tllc
senlemenr of EIarIIom. Thc scction iilcludes secrions of nint-rneitr high concrete wall in
p~pulattd srcas, including El-Ezaiiya, which is cur off kom Jcrusalcm, and neighbouring Abu
Dis, wlziclilm been split intwo. Arleast35,000 pcoplc will live eastofthis section of ilic Barrim,
which has iio gates. The Unired Nations iindmstaiidj that PalesrLUanswJcnisalem ideiiriry
caids or valid pennirs will enicr via a chcckpoiiitbenearh the easiernslopc of the Mounr of Olives.
16. AnoLherconcrctc wall lias been erecron a hiiltop duc south of Abu Dis. which will
containHBorda Policc base.The base overlooksBsmcr constnichoiito the soiiih, which follows
thcplanncd route for tlie easrernJerusalemring road. The Palestiiiianhamlet oCNu'mansits at tlie
southern end of rhis srazt, whcisconnectedmithanexistingsecilonof the Ramier.A crosjLi3
rcrminîl ïor pcople and goodsfromthe sourheWcsi Bank is apparenrlyplanned hcx.
17. Scveralroads aie planned or under consiruction in coiijunctionwirh ilit Barricr ai-ound
Terusalem.The al-Zaim idrrchangc, bclow the easternflank of rht Mouni of Olives, is underjoing
major expansion. According ta informationmade availab10thc Unitcd Natioiis. theinrerchangi:
will separutc Isracli and Palestiniaiiioad nenvorks thai ïoBmiertline as ir srreichts north
and south oi'tlic city. Israeli traffic comingfrom rasicrn scttlcmsnts and the JordabcValley will
linkcd to hi$~ways leadinintoJerusalemand scttlcrneiltsto tlis noi-rh.Palesrinian ~rufficwill bc
dircctcd to the i~orthernand sourWcsi Eank, with valid peimr holders ;aining scccss to Easr
Jeiusalem over the Mount of Olivcs.
18. The Barrier's roiire in noficm Jenisalem coincides \vi& major ti-anspoitarion
infras~uciurc plansA I~igliwaythat services ihe narlhcm Jcmalein settlemrnrs of Pispat Zccv
and Neve Yaalcov,stopping sr the Paltstinian i~cighbou~of Al-Ram, will contii7uealong the
planneciDarrier linr fIWO kilomebes to tlie Araror Industrial Zonc. Tlis Bhererwill join
finisheclconsiniction at tliencarby Qalandiyacheckpoint that controlsci-ossinçberveen Rnma1lal.i
and Jerusalcm Al-Ram will be separatedfromJ~iis:ilcm and tliecheckpoinrwill bz movcd about
IWO kilomc~cs to the west, whe1.ea crossing reminal is plaiiiied.The Bariier hm :ho links with
the planncd route for Highway 45. 'I'heUnitcd Nations has been informed that chaiigethef
inotonvay's routeinbis srta areundcr considaation clespireevidacc olandlevslling iuming
due easrof Qalandiya, sway fromthe cui~entplamcd Barrierroutc.
Phase D
19. Work on Palier construction has yct to stan on PhasLI.which is planned foi the
sourhm WcsiBank.
III. Process of LandRequisitionas Part of theBarrier'sConstruction
20. Tlie laiid requisition processrtrthcssme as describedinrhereport of tlie Secretary-
General prepared pursuantro Grnr~alAssemblyresolurionES-lO/l;.
IV. The Establishmentof CloscdAreas
21. Tilc series of legal insuumenis issued by thc Israeli DefenceForces on 2 Oc2003r
(the ClosedAreas Ordtxs)rmin inplacc. OFF. OF LEGALCOUNSEL
V. Conclusion
27. Tile facrual update ol'the report IlicSec~etaiy-Generalprepartd pursuant ro General
Assembly resolution ES-10113fin& tlist the Govemment of lsrael hnscoiltinued with ongoing
consmiction of ihe Banitr along thc route appi-ovedby the lsraelCabinct on I Ocrober 2003 in
Decision 883. In addition, tlic Govenlment of Israel has bzpim construction ro add somencw
components to uircady conipleted sections of the Bamcr, suc11as a-ossing terminsls,roads,
imdcrpasses,and gates.
Written Statement of the Secretary-General of the United Nations