ICJ rules Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands illegal

THE HAGUE: The United Nation’s top court said in its opinion that Israel’s decades-long Occupation of Palestinian territory was illegal and needed to end as soon as possible.

The advisory opinion by The Hague-based International Court of Justice (ICJ) was welcomed by the Palestinian presidency calling it “historic”.

The ICJ’s statement, called an advisory opinion, is not binding, but it comes amid mounting concerns over the death toll and destruction in Israel’s war on Gaza.

The court’s opinion likely to increase diplomatic pressure on Israel, whose lawmakers voted on Thursday to oppose a Palestinian state, calling it an “existential threat”.

In The Hague, ICJ presiding judge Nawaf Salam said: “The court has found that Israel’s continued presence in the Palestinian Territories is illegal.”

Israel is“under the obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence as rapidly as possible,” the judge said at the seat of the ICJ.

The ICJ added that Israel was “under obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers” from occupied land.

Israel’s policies and practices, including the building of new settlements and Israel’s continued maintenance of a wall between the territories,“amount to annexation of large parts” of the occupied territory, the court said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slammed the ICJ’s opinion.

Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki called it a “watershed moment”. “The Palestinian people have endured unbearable suffering and injustice for decades,” al-Maliki told reporters outside the courtroom.

A separate, high-profile case that South Africa has brought before the court alleges that Israel has committed genocidal acts during its Gaza offensive.

The UN’s General Assembly asked the ICJ in late 2022 to give an“advisory opinion” on the“legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”.

The ICJ held a week-long session in February to hear submissions from countries following the request – supported by most countries within the Assembly.

The office of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said it welcomed the “historic decision and demands that Israel be compelled to implement it”.

Palestinian minister of state for foreign affairs Varsen Aghabekian Shahin hailed “a great day for Palestine”, speaking with AFP on behalf of the Palestinian foreign ministry.

Hamas has called for an “immediate” international action to end Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories after the ICJ ruling.