Court orders Israel to re-route barrier

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2007

BILIN, West Bank (AFP) — Israel's Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the state to re-route a section of its West Bank barrier at a village that has become a potent symbol of Palestinian opposition to the construction.

The court ruled that the route of the separation barrier in the Bilin area was "highly prejudicial" to the villagers and demanded that the government map out an alternative route "within a reasonable period".

Palestinians have accused Israel of seizing around 200 hectares (500 acres) of land in the farming village for the barrier and charged that thousands of olive trees have been uprooted for construction work.

In the unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel, the court said the villagers had been discriminated against by having land seized and...