THE International Court of Justice (ICJ), the United Nation’s highest court, has declared Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and its settlements there to be illegal under international law. The court, also known as the World Court, called for Israel to withdraw from these areas “as rapidly as possible.”
Reuters reports that while the ICJ’s opinion is not legally binding, it carries significant weight in international law and could potentially weaken support for Israel’s position. The court’s 15-judge panel found that “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,” as read by ICJ President Nawaf Salam.
The news agency reports that the court’s opinion includes a call for Israel to pay restitution for harm caused and to evacuate all settlers from existing settlements. Reuters notes that Israel’s foreign ministry swiftly rejected the opinion as “fundamentally wrong” and one-sided, maintaining that only direct negotiations can lead to a political settlement in the region.
The article mentions that the ICJ’s opinion also stated that all states and UN bodies have an obligation not to recognize the occupation as legal or provide aid or assistance in maintaining Israel’s presence in the occupied territories.
Reuters reports that Palestinian representatives welcomed the opinion as “historic,” while Israeli settlers and some politicians expressed strong disagreement. The case, as explained in the article, originated from a 2022 UN General Assembly request for a legal opinion, predating the current conflict in Gaza.
The report concludes by noting that in 2004, the ICJ issued a similar advisory ruling against Israel’s separation barrier in the West Bank and its settlements, which Israel dismissed at the time.
