The Palestinians last night called on all nations to impose sanctions against Israel if it refuses to accept a World Court opinion and tear down the barrier it is building to seal off the West Bank. Nasser Al Kidwa, the Palestinian UN observer, informed the General Assembly the Palestinians may seek a follow-up to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion a week ago that the Israeli fence violates international law. The opinion is not legally binding. The 191-member world body is considering a draft resolution that would demand that Israel comply with the court. Negotiations were taking place with the European Union on the Palestinian-backed draft resolution, Al Kidwa said Al Kidwa said it isn't too early to start thinking about sanctions and action to end Israel's settlement activities because of Israel's "negative response" to last week's court decision. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered construction to go ahead after the ruling. There was no vote expected last night and a revised version of the resolution would be circulated, diplomats and a UN spokeswoman said. The assembly will likely vote on Monday. The Palestinian draft says that in case of Israeli "non-compliance", the General Assembly would reconvene "to consider further actions to bring to an end the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall." Israel cannot ignore the ICJ's ruling that its West Bank barrier is illegal, a senior legal adviser said yesterday, contradicting the official government position that it will defy the decision. Shavit Mattias, the Justice Ministry's adviser on international law and treaties, said Israel could face economic repercussions if it refuses to take into account the decision by the ICJ. "We are not making light of The Hague opinion," Mattias told the Maariv newspaper." Prime Minister Ariel Sharon warned that Israel needs to withdraw from the Gaza Strip to remain "Jewish and democratic", in a speech broadcast on public radio yesterday. "We will not be able to preserve the Jewish and democratic character of the state if we continue to rule over one million Palestinians" in the Gaza Strip, Sharon told students at the Academy of War. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Nassser Al-Kidwa, ambassador and Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine, speaks to media after a briefing from the Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, at the United Nations headquarters in New York, Tuesday, July 13, 2004. (AP)