The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Tuesday in favor of a resolution demanding Israel heed a world court ruling to tear down its controversial separation wall in the West Bank.

The resolution was passed in a vote of 150 to 6, with 10 abstentions.

The vote took place after lengthy closed negotiations between Arab nations and the European Union (EU) on amending the draft. At the request of European countries, Arab nations revised the text to include a provision calling on both Israelis and Palestinians to fulfill their obligations under the "roadmap" peace plan.

The revised text gained support of all 25 EU member states. But Israel, along with the United States, Australia, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia and Palau, voted "no."

The 10 abstentions were Canada, Cameroon, El Salvador, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Uganda, Uruguay and Vanuatu.

The resolution demanded that Israel, "the occupying power, comply with its legal obligations as identified in the advisory opinion" of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The resolution also called on other countries "not to render aid or assistance" to Israel in constructing the 600-km barrier.

The ICJ, based in The Hague, Netherlands, ruled on July 9 that the construction of the wall being built by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory was contrary to international law.

The top UN legal authority stated that Israel is obliged to halt the project, dismantle the existing sections and make reparation to Palestinians for all damage caused by the construction of the wall.

After the assembly vote, Palestinian observer to the UN praised the vote as "a historic development," saying it is time "for implementation, for compliance, and at a later stage for additional measures."

Israeli Ambassador Dan Gillerman called the new measure "one-sided" and "totally counterproductive." He said the Israeli government would continue to build the wall, called by the Israelis as a "security fence" to prevent Palestinian militants from infiltrating into Israel.

Unlike resolutions adopted by the UN Security Council, those passed by the General Assembly are non-binding. They represent the mainstream of the world opinion and only carry moral weight.

The Palestinians have said they would seek a Security Council resolution if the Israeli government ignores the assembly resolution.

(Xinhua News Agency July 21, 2004)