Submitted by Michael Halpern, Sep 7, 2007 15:10

This week's court victory for one Palestinian village regarding the Israeli wall that bisects its land, reminds us that the Israeli supreme court has studiously avoided taking a position on the illegal settlements on the West Bank, notwithstanding that they are in gross breach of international law. Furthermore, although the International Court of Justice ruled the route of the separation barrier, illegal, in 2004, the Israeli court continues to ignore that ruling.

The inescapable conclusion is that Israel's judiciary, far from being an independent body within a democratic state, is, in fact, an executive arm of the Israeli government, charged with carrying out its political agenda.

It is common knowledge that Israel will only accept international law when it is favorable to its own position, otherwise fabricated disputes are employed to question the validity of any ruling or resolution by any international body, including the United Nations. Even the specific provisions of the EU-Israel Association Agreement on trade, relating to human rights, are, regrettably, treated with contempt.

Israel needs to learn the lessons that public opinion is important and that arrogant contempt of human rights will never endear it to the international community of democratic nations. Just as importantly, it needs to accept the fact that a Palestinian life is of no less importance than an Israeli one.

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