http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/02/12/israel.barrier/<snip>
"Israel will boycott a hearing before the International Court of Justice in the Netherlands regarding the legality of its West Bank barrier, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office said Thursday."
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"The court scheduled a hearing for February 23 after a Palestinian complaint against the barrier was referred to it by the United Nations General Assembly.
The prime minister's office said a ministerial committee decided to accept the recommendations of advisers and not attend.
"The ministerial committee, headed by the prime minister, Ariel Sharon, decided that there was enough in the declaration that Israel delivered on January 30 which states that the court does not have the jurisdiction to hear the issue of the terror-prevention fence, which is Israel's basic right to defend itself," said a statement issued by Sharon's office."