JERUSALEM, June 9 (Xinhuanet) -- Israel's highest court on Thursday rejected Jewish settlers' bid to overturn Gaza pullout law, ruling the pullout is legal and does not violate the settlers' human rights.

    The 11-judge High Court panel headed by Chief Justice Aharon Barak turned down 12 petitions filed by settlers against the "disengagement" compensation law, ruling that the evacuation is legal.

    The pullout can go ahead as planned and does not violate the settlers' human rights, the justices ruled, stressing the plan is legal and its implementation poses no constitutional problems.

    Israel is scheduled to pull out some 8,500 settlers from all 21 enclaves in the Gaza Strip and four of 120 in the West Bank from mid August.

    The plan, dubbed the "disengagement" from conflicts with the Palestinians, has met fierce opposition from ultra-nationalists and some settlers.

    Settlers have filed petitions, saying the "disengagement" law was invalidated and harmed their human rights.

    The compensation law, passed by the Israeli Knesset (Parliament)in February, effectively gave the government the go-ahead to proceed with the pullout and provide payments to settlers slated to be evacuated.

    Under the law, settlers are expected to get up to 500,000 US dollars per family and those who clashes with the soldiers evacuating them will face up to five years in jail. Enditem