Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands 'unlawful': ICJ
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday issued an advisory opinion finding Israel’s decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories to be “unlawful” and settlement policies and exploitation of natural resources are in breach of international law.
ICJ, the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, was delivering its Advisory Opinion concerning the "Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem".
President Nawaf Salam said that Israel must make reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by its occupation, adding that the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and all states must not recognise Israel's occupation as legal.
This is considered a landmark advisory opinion, which is nonbinding but will still have implications.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the court's decision as "false," adding that "the Jewish people do not "occupy their own land."
“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,” Salam said, reading the findings of a 15-judge panel.
“The sustained abuse of Israel of its position as an occupying power through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the occupied Palestinian territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful.”
Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem – areas of historic Palestine which the Palestinians want for a state – in a 1967 war and has since built settlements in the West Bank and steadily expanded them.
The United Nations and the vast majority of the international community consider the Palestinian territory as Israeli-occupied.
According to MiddleEast Eye, the court heard submissions from 52 countries and three international organisations, more than in any other case since the ICJ's establishment in 1945.
