Israel says it will not abide by an International Court of Justice ruling that its security barrier in the West Bank is illegal and should be dismantled.
The court also said compensation should be paid to Palestinians whose property has been confiscated for the project.
But Israel says the court at The Hague has no authority to deal with issues between Israel and the Palestinians. Israeli officials added that the court did not address Palestinian terrorism, and stressed that no suicide bombers have crossed into Israel in areas where the barrier is already completed.
Palestinians hailed the non-binding ruling at the Hague, with President Yasser Arafat calling it "a victory for the Palestinian people." The court and Palestinian officials are urging the United Nations to take action on the matter.
Information for this report is provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.