JERUSALEM - Israel will change the route of its West Bank separation barrier to cause less hardship for the Palestinians and gain U.S. support against legal challenges, an adviser to Israel's prime minister said yesterday.
The barrier faces two court fights. Today, Israel's Supreme Court will hear petitions from two civil rights groups, including a request to declare the barrier's route illegal.
Later this month, the world court in The Hague, Netherlands, will review the legality of the barrier. The U.N. General Assembly, with the backing of the Palestinians, has asked the court for a non-binding advisory opinion.
Israel says the barrier is meant to block Palestinian suicide bombers, but the Palestinians condemn it as a land grab.
Israel has argued that the world court has no authority over the barrier dispute, saying it should be resolved through negotiations. Nonetheless, it is taking the case before the International Court of Justice seriously
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