by Marc Carnegie
UNITED NATIONS, July 20 (AFP) - The Palestinians won a diplomatic victory here Tuesday as the European Union united behind a UN General Assembly resolution calling on Israel to heed a world court ruling and tear down part of its West Bank barrier.
The measure passed 150-6 with 10 abstentions as the European Union, which spent days haggling over the measure, forged a common position and got Arab nations to accept several changes to the resolution.
Israel has already said it would ignore the ruling by the International Court of Justice at The Hague and continue construction on the 425-mile (700-kilometre) barrier, part of which cuts through West Bank land.
The court said Israel must dismantle the parts of the controversial barrier that are built on Palestinian territory and pay the Palestinians reparations for damages.
But Israel says that the barrier has cut terror attacks against Israelis by 90 percent and is only a temporary measure of self-defence.
"Thank God that the fate of Israel and of the Jewish people is not decided in this hall," Israeli ambassador Dan Gillerman said.
The Palestinians have said that if Israel does not comply, they will push for a legally binding resolution at the UN Security Council, something all but certain to be rejected by Israel's main ally, the United States.
"It's time now, we believe, for implementation, for compliance and at a later stage for additional measures" against Israel if it does not, Palestinian representative Nasser al-Kidwa said.
General Assembly resolutions have no legal force but do reflect world opinion, and diplomats said the European Union unified front -- backed up by a threat to abstain -- convinced the Palestinians to adopt the changes.
Accepting the EU proposals, the resolution condemns terror acts and urges both the Israelis and Palestinians to adhere to the internationally backed "road map" Middle East peace plan.
But Arab diplomats declined an EU call to mention part of the court ruling that referred to the UN charter, which says states have the right to self-defence only against other states and not individuals like suicide bombers.
Israel and the United States voted against, along with Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau.
Israel has repeatedly complained about its treatment by the General Assembly, which regularly passes resolutions criticising the Jewish state and where, unlike the Security Council, no nations have veto power.
In December, the assembly asked the court for a ruling on the barrier, a mix of concrete walls, razor-wire and trenches. The Palestinians say the fact that the route cuts through West Bank land amounts to a land grab.
"We regret the rush of the General Assembly to adopt this resolution," deputy US ambassador James Cunningham said.
"The United States remains convinced that the focus must remain on President (George W.) Bush's vision of two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side," he said.
In a statement, the European Union underlined that Israel had the right to self-defence and that it was troubled by some sections of the world court ruling, which is non-binding.