The draft, introduced by Arab states, declared that the structure was illegal under international law and that construction must be halted.

Israel says the barrier is necessary to protect Israeli civilians from attacks by Palestinian gunmen and suicide bombers.

Other international mediators had been urging Israel to end construction of the fence.

But President George Bush had merely called the barrier a "problem".

The vote came at the end of a day-long, bitter debate, with Israel's UN ambassador Dan Gillerman clashing with Palestinian observer Nasser al-Kidwa.

"The establishment of the expansionist conquest wall by the occupying power (...) is a crime of the same magnitude as a crime against humanity," Mr al-Kidwa said.

Mr Gillerman retorted: "No lie is so bold and audacious as the one which pretends that Israel's actions occur in a vacuum and are not in response to years and years of terrorism."

Most of the countries taking part in the debate criticised the construction of the barrier, saying it will inflame tensions.

Angola, Chile, China, France, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Russia, Spain and Syria voted in favour of the resolution.

Bulgaria, Cameroon, Germany and Britain abstained. The US was the only one vote against the draft.

Seeking to sidestep a fresh US veto in the UN Security Council, the Palestinians have vowed to press on with their drive to try to prevent Israel from building a security fence deep into the West Bank.

Palestinian UN envoy Nasser al-Kidwa said Arab states would now take his draft resolution to the 191-nation UN General Assembly, where the United States, Israel's closest ally, has no veto and the Palestinians enjoy strong support.

While Security Council texts can carry the force of international law, assembly resolutions simply represent the will of the international community.