The World Court said today it had authorised the Arab League to take part in proceedings against the building by Israel of a controversial barrier in the West Bank.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, also known as the World Court, said in a statement the League would be invited to give information in writing and orally.
The court, which took the decision following a request by the Arab League, begins deliberations on February 23rd in response to a UN General Assembly request to rule whether Israel was legally obliged to tear down the barrier.
Mr Hesham Youssef, chief of staff of the office of the secretary-general of the Arab League, said the pan-Arab body would submit a written statement to the ICJ before January 30th.
"As far as we are concerned, this wall is illegal as it was built on occupied territory. The question is now to address it from a legal point of view...in relation to legal consequences," he said.
Responding to the court's decision, Mr Hassan Abu Libdeh, the director of Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurie's office, said the Arab League and non-Arab states would make presentations at The Hague.
"This reflects the fact that the wall threatens the peace process and not only Palestinian lives," Mr Abu Libdeh told reporters. "It also means that there is a deep belief among the Arabs and the international community that this wall might lead to the expulsion and a new exodus of the Palestinians and therefore create chaos in the whole region."
In Jerusalem, Israel's High Court decided today, following a petition by a rights group, to hold a hearing on the legality of the West Bank barrier before the World Court meets on the case.