New Zealand has welcomed a strong ruling by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that Israel's West Bank barrier is illegal and that construction of it should be stopped immediately.

Foreign Minister Phil Goff said in a statement Monday that the International Court, by an overwhelming 14-1 majority, had found that the barrier's construction was tantamount to annexation and impeded the Palestinians' right to self-determination.

This decision comes on top of a recent Israeli High Court decision requiring the Israeli Defense Force to look again at the route of part of the wall, Goff said.

The minister noted that Israel needed to take serious note of the court's ruling, and of international opinion.

"While it has a valid right to protect its people from suicide bombings, the construction of any wall should be on its legal 1967border," he said.

Goff said he had personally seen the impact that the wall has had on Palestinian people: isolating towns, separating farmers from their land, and dividing families.

"The wall is a barrier to the concept of a two-state solution and to implementing the Roadmap promoted by the United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia, which New Zealand supports," he added.

New Zealand reiterates its own call for Israel to cease construction of the wall, in line with the ICJ's ruling. Both sides must come back to the negotiating table, which is the only path for achieving a sustainable peace, Goff said. Enditem