U.N. Assembly: Barrier infringes on the right of "Palestinians" to kill Jews

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - The U.N. General Assembly voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to demand that Israel obey a World Court ruling and tear down its West Bank barrier.

The vote in the 191-nation assembly was 150-6, with 10 abstentions.

All 25 European Union countries voted in support of the Palestinian-drafted measure after its Arab sponsors approved a series of amendments proposed by the EU bloc over days of intense negotiations.

However, the United States, Israel's closest ally, voted "no" after U.S. Deputy Ambassador James Cunningham warned that the resolution was unbalanced and could further undermine the goal of a Middle East in which Israeli and Palestinian states live side by side in peace.

"All sides are now focused on Gaza and partial West Bank withdrawal as a way to restart the progress toward this vision," he told the assembly.

Israeli also voted 'No' and denounced the vote.

"Thank God that the fate of Israel and of the Jewish people is not decided in this hall," Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman said after the vote. "This resolution cannot but embolden those who are the true enemies of the Israeli and Palestinian people."

Which land is Israel building the wall on?

The Palestinians say the current route of the wall amounts to a land grab, because parts of the barrier are being built on West Bank land that Israel conquered in the 1967 Middle East war. Israel says the fence is needed to keep out suicide bombers.

Judea and Samaria, aka the "West Bank," was reclaimed from Jordan after Israel kicked Arab arse in the 1967 war. How could it be considered "Palestinian" land? By what stretch of whose imagination? Word to Israel: next time you kick arse, let it stay kicked. Do not give away territory.