THE HAGUE: At the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the League of Arab States on Monday declared Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories an “affront to international justice”, saying failure to end it amounted to “genocide”. The ICJ entered its last day of week-long hearings after a request from the United Nations, with an extraordinary 52 countries giving their views on Israel’s occupation.
Representing 22 Arab nations, Abdel Hakim El-Rifai called the Israeli occupation a violation of international law, asserting that its continuation amounted to nothing short of genocide against the Palestinian people.
The ICJ, convened at the behest of the United Nations, concluded its week-long hearings with an unprecedented 52 countries presenting their perspectives on the matter. Throughout the proceedings, the overwhelming sentiment was a call for an end to Israel’s occupation.
However, the United States diverged from this stance, arguing that Israel’s security concerns must be taken into account before any withdrawal mandates are imposed.
Israel’s Actions Threat to Global Peace and Security
Ahmet Yildiz, representing Turkey, warned of the dire consequences of allowing the occupation to persist unchecked, highlighting its potential to destabilize not only the Middle East but also global peace and security.
The ICJ is now tasked with delivering an advisory opinion on the legal ramifications of Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. While the court’s decision is expected before the year’s end, it holds no binding authority.
Notably absent from the oral hearings was Israel, which submitted a written statement dismissing the questions posed by the court as biased and tendentious.
The hearings commenced with testimony from Palestinian officials, who decried the Israeli occupation as a system of “colonialism and apartheid.” This legal battle at the ICJ unfolds alongside a separate case initiated by South Africa, alleging Israeli genocide in Gaza.
In response to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the ICJ previously ruled that Israel must take all measures to prevent genocidal acts and facilitate humanitarian aid access. However, the violence continues, killing at least 29,782 Palestinians, mostly women and children, according to Gaza’s health ministry.
