ICJ says Israel’s presence in Palestinian territory is unlawful

The ICJ has declared that Israel’s ongoing presence in Palestinian territory is illegal and must cease as quickly as feasible.Nawaf Salam, who serves as president of the ICJ in The Hague, announced the nonbinding advisory opinion given by the 15-judge panel on Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory last Friday.

The judges cited various policies, such as the growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, exploitation of natural resources, annexation of land, and discriminatory actions against Palestinians, as breaches of international law.The court ruled that Israel does not have the authority over the territories, is breaching international laws on capturing land through force, and is obstructing the self-governance of Palestinians.

It was stated that other countries must not help Israel maintain its presence in the territory. According to a summary read out by Salam, Israel was instructed to halt settlement construction promptly and dismantle existing settlements.The court stated that Israel’s misuse of its position as the occupying power makes its presence in the occupied Palestinian territory illegal.

The court declared that Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, along with the system linked to them, have been created and are being upheld against international law.The United Nations General Assembly requested the court’s opinion in 2022.The ICJ, also referred to as the World Court, serves as the top UN authority for resolving conflicts among nations.

The full text of the advisory opininon of 19 July 2024 can be found here:

https://www.icj-cij.org/sites/default/files/case-related/186/186-20240719-adv-01-00-en.pdf