The High Court of Justice will rule Thursday on the legality of Israel's policy of targeted killings in the Palestinian territories, almost five years after the Public Committee against Torture in Israel first petitioned the court to end the policy.

The ruling will be published in English as well as in Hebrew.

The ruling will be one of the last made by the former president of the Supreme Court, Aharon Barak, who will next Friday have completed the three-month period granted to him to conclude outstanding cases.

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The petition against Israel's targeted killing policy was submitted in January 2002. In February 2005 the discussions over the petition were halted because of joint cease-fire announcement made by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

The discussions over the petition resumed eight months later, after Israel resumed its targeted killings.

In the last discussion over the petition, Justice Barak was joined by Justices Mishael Heshin and Dorit Beinish.

Heshin, who recently retired from the Supreme Court, has been replaced by Justice Eliezer Rivlin.

A month ago, the members of the human rights organization 'Yesh Gvul' submitted a petition against the High Court of Justice, for allowing the petition over Israel's targeted killings policy drag on for nearly five years.

Last month, the head of the Shin Bet security service, Yuval Diskin, told the security cabinet that the Shin Bet opposes targeted killings of Palestinian politicians.