Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - July 11, 2004, Winnipeg, Manitoba Winnipeg free press sunday july 11, 2004 Canada / world a7 Israel seeks . Support for illegal Security Barrier by Susan Sevareid j Jerusalem ? while israelis enlisted american help the palestinians sought Europe a backing yesterday for in enforcement of a non binding International court ruling that found Israel a massive West Bank bar Rier to be illegal. In the Gaza strip meanwhile four palestinians were killed and one wounded in what palestinian officials claimed was an israeli tank attack. Helicopters and tanks were in the Gen eral area of the blast in Al Zahra on the outskirts of Gaza City but the army said they had not fired at any car and their soldiers were not in the immediate area of the explosion. Instead an army helicopter had fired machine gun warning shots earlier toward palestinian gunmen who were firing at soldiers near the area but no one was injured military sources said. Hours before the incident israeli forces and palestinians had been clash ing in the Netz Arim area where palestinians had fired two anti tank missiles and sprayed machine gun fire at israeli soldiers but nobody was injured the army said. Later palestinian medical sources said a medical worker was shot in the Stom Ach and wounded. The violence came during the 12th Day of an israeli Security crackdown in the Region that has toughened leaving Resi dents Short of water milk and other essentials. The operation aimed at Stop Ping palestinian rocket attacks began after a june 28 strike near a Nursery in the israeli town of Derot that killed two people including a three year old. Earlier yesterday israeli foreign min ister Silvan shalom said on israeli radio that he has asked . Officials to pre vent the adoption of any in Resolution aimed at enforcing the courts ruling. The palestinians have said they la seek sup port of the world body a members in the general Assembly then go to the Secu Rity Council. The Issue will go to the Security Council because the palestinians have an automatic majority in the in Gener Al Assembly shalom said. Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Aureia told european envoy Marc Otte that the palestinians want Europe a sup port at the United nations. Aureia told Otte he hoped the Ameri cans would not sabotage our efforts according to participants in the meet ing. Washington has veto Power in the Security Council and often has blocked proposed resolutions critical of Israel. Washington said its position has to changed. It remains our View that this refer ral to the court was inappropriate and that in fact it could impede efforts to achieve Progress toward a negotiated settlement Between israelis and palestinians state department spokesman Richard Boucher said. Washington he said also rejects the idea there should be further action by the United nations considering the court ruling. In its advisory ruling Friday the International court of Justice in the Hague Netherlands declared the bar Rier illegal and said construction must Stop. It urged the general Assembly and Security Council to consider what fur ther action is required to bring to an end the illegal ? associated press ;