[JURIST] The Israeli Cabinet on Sunday approved several amendments to the route of the Israeli security fence [IDF website] around Jerusalem and the West Bank and Israeli Prime Minister-designate Ehud Olmert [BBC profile] urged that the barrier be completed as soon as possible. Following the deadly suicide bombing in Tel Aviv earlier this month, Olmert convened top security officials to determine how best to complete the security fence. The cabinet unanimously approved several changes in the route, including a modification [AP report] which will prevent thousands of Palestinians from being enclosed on the "Israeli" side of the wall.

The security fence has been the subject of many court challenges and earlier this month, the Israeli Supreme Court [official website] approved construction of a portion of the fence [JURIST report] around Jerusalem. The International Court of Justice [official website], however, handed down an advisory opinion [text; JURIST report] in 2004 that the fence violated international law. AFP has more.