The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest United Nations body for hearing disputes between states, has ruled 14-1 that Israel&...
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), the highest United Nations body for hearing disputes between states, has ruled 14-1 that Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and should come to an end "as rapidly as possible" as it issued an unprecedented and sweeping condemnation of Jerusalem's rule over the lands it captured 57 years ago.
ICJ President Nawaf Salam read out the "nonbinding advisory opinion" issued by the 15-judge panel. They pointed to a wide list of policies, including the building and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the use of the area's natural resources, the annexation and imposition of permanent control over lands and discriminatory policies against Palestinians. According to them, all of these measures violated international laws against acquiring territory by force and impeded Palestinians' right to self-determination.
According to a summary of the more than 80-page opinion, other nations were not obliged to "render aid or assistance in maintaining" Israel's occupation in the said territory. Israel's "abuse of its status as the occupying power" renders its "presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful," the court said.
"Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law," the decision further read.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized ICJ's opinion, saying the territories are part of the Jewish people's historic homeland. But the resounding breadth of the decision could impact international opinion and fuel moves for unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. The court's opinion was sought by the UN General Assembly after a Palestinian request concerning Israel's massive genocidal assaults on Gaza.
According to The Hague court, the General Assembly and Security Council should consider "the precise modalities" to end Netanyahu's men's presence in the territories. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will send the advisory opinion to the 193-member world body.
"It is for the General Assembly to decide how to proceed in the matter," UN deputy spokesperson Farhan Haq said.
Guterres has signified his call once again for Israel and the Palestinians to engage "on the long-delayed political path towards ending the occupation and resolving the conflict in line with international law, relevant resolutions and bilateral agreements," the spokesperson said.
Guterres also stressed that a two-state solution is "the only viable path" to seeing Israel and "a fully independent, democratic, contiguous, viable and sovereign Palestinian state" living side by side in peace and security, Haq said.
World leaders react on ICJ's landmark decision
Following the historic decision of the ICJ, leaders from around the globe reacted. Palestinian officials lauded ICJ and said the Justice ruling was a "watershed moment" in their decades-long fight for justice. Israel's reaction is expected to be not favorable as the United States' top ally criticized the ruling on Saturday, July 20, after initial silence.
United Kingdom's newly formed Labour government said it "respects the independence of the ICJ" and is considering the ruling before making an official response. The Foreign Office added the U.K. is "strongly opposed to the expansion of illegal settlements and rising settler violence." For Norwegian Foreign Affairs Minister Espen Barth Eide, the ICJ ruling is crystal clear. "Israeli policies and practices are to be considered annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and are in violation of international law," he wrote on X. Malaysia called on all states to compel Israel to abide by the ruling of the ICJ and immediately end their support to Israel in continuing its illegal occupation of Palestine.
Jordan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Sadadi said: "Israel's impunity must end. Its war crimes must be stopped. Israel must be held accountable." Moreover, Kuwait's foreign minister called on the international community to carry out its "legal, political and moral duties to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent state and to stop the aggression against Gaza." Saudi Arabia welcomed the ruling while stressing the "need to take practical and credible steps to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause."
Meanwhile, U.S. President Joe Biden's administration denounced the ICJ's opinion that Israeli settlements are "inconsistent" with international law.
"We are concerned that the breadth of the court's opinion will complicate efforts to resolve the conflict and bring about an urgently needed just and lasting peace with two states living side by side in peace and security," the Department of State told Reuters.
On the other side, Spain was taking a safer stance. "The government urges the UN and the international community to take into consideration the conclusions of the report and to adopt appropriate measures in this regard," it said.
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