Israel's security barrier in the West Bank is temporary and reversible; the terrorist murders of Israel's citizens are not. It is unfortunate, though sadly predictable, that the International Court of Justice failed to consider these facts in issuing its advisory opinion Friday against the security barrier.

The opinion fails to recognize the root of the problem and the sole cause for building the barrier: relentless Palestinian terrorism against Israelis. If there were no terrorism, if Israel had a viable Palestinian partner at the peace table, if the Palestinian Authority were willing and able to halt the terrorist attacks, there would be no need for a fence at all.

In the United States, we are blessed with friendly neighbors, although we do have a fence along portions of our southern border with Mexico. Imagine how different the situation might be if we had, instead, a hostile neighbor openly attacking our citizens. Our government would be remiss if it allowed free access to terrorists into our country. This is the situation confronting Israel.

The simple fact is that the fence works. So far in 2004, no Israelis have reportedly been killed or wounded by suicide bombings in areas protected by the fence, whereas 19 Israelis have been killed and 102 wounded in suicide attacks in areas without the barrier. Further, the security barrier has resulted in a 90 percent reduction in terrorism originating from the northern West Bank, where the fence has been constructed, compared to previous years since the beginning of this second wave of Palestinian terrorism.

This trend is not the result of any lessening of the desire of terrorist groups to attack Israelis, and much less from any serious attempt by the Palestinian Authority to prevent such attacks. Rather, it is the security fence that is saving these Israeli lives.

The court's ruling shows that it fails to sympathize with or even understand these basic and harsh realities. But this is not surprising, considering that the United Nations General Assembly had asked the court for an advisory opinion in the first place. The General Assembly has unremittingly reserved its harshest criticism over the decades for Israel.

Israel's security fence is temporary and will have no effect on the status of the land on which it is constructed. The Israeli Supreme Court has already ruled it legitimate, given the reality of the constant threat of terrorism, and has even ordered the government to re-route parts of it, which Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said it will do.

When Israel has a partner with whom it can achieve peace, and who is willing to crack down on terrorism, the fence can come down. Until then, Israel has no choice but to protect its citizens and strive to ensure its national survival.

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