The Israeli Supreme Court has begun plenary hearings on the legality of Israel's so-called security fence, which controversially separates Israel from the West Bank. The fence, a massive concrete wall in many places, is under construction and the court has been asked to rule on it by Israeli pacifist groups. For their part, the Palestinians are contesting the wall in the Hague, where the International Court of Justice will deliberate on the case later this month. This case may give the Israeli leadership a pointer as to how that decision might go, and after Prime Minister Sharon's attempts to justify the wall on economic, political, and security grounds, the court may provide him with a legal endorsement of his plan. In the propaganda battle being fought over the separation of the two peoples the Israeli foreign ministry has an animated message in English on its website to underline why the wall is important for Israel, and how important it is to get this message across internationally to as wide an audience as possible. **PHOTO CAPTION*** Palestinians, backdropped by a mosque, walk past a section of the barrier made of 8-meter-high cement blocks, built by Israel to separate the outskirts of Jerusalem from the West Bank in the village of Abu Dis, dividing the town in two, Friday Jan. 30, 2004. (AP Photo/Lefteris Pitarakis)