ICJ orders Israel to end illegal occupation of Palestine

In a damning advisory opinion issued on Friday, 19 July, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has finally ruled in favour of Palestine by ordering that Israel “rapidly” leave all of the occupied territories. [1]

Contents

Settlers to be evicted from Palestine Zionist state is completely finished Britain must recognise Palestine Analysis Also read Also watch

The opinion also warns that states in support of the Zionist regime must no longer prop up claims of legality, or continue the monetary assistance of such settlements. [1]

The UN top court’s position has likely alarmed a number of key Israeli allies including the US, UK, Canada, and others that are altogether more questionable — including Morocco, the UAE, Bahrain, Sudan, and Egypt. [2]

Settlers to be evicted from Palestine

With 14-1 in favour of the view that “the State of Israel is under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory”, the ruling notes,

…the Court considers that such presence constitutes a wrongful act entailing its international responsibility.

“It is a wrongful act of a continuing character which has been brought about by Israel’s violations, through its policies and practices, of the prohibition on the acquisition of territory by force and the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people.

“Consequently, Israel has an obligation to bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible.” [1]

Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns, Erika Guevara Rosas, said of the ruling,

“The International Court of Justice has issued its opinion and the conclusion is loud and clear: Israel’s occupation and annexation of the Palestinian territories are unlawful, and its discriminatory laws and policies against Palestinians violate the prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid.

“This is a historic vindication of the rights of Palestinians who have endured decades of cruelty and systematic human rights violations stemming from Israel’s unlawful occupation.” [3]

Rosas added,

“The occupation is a key pillar of the system of apartheid that Israel uses to dominate and oppress Palestinians, and which has caused suffering on a mass scale.

“Palestinians have witnessed their homes being demolished, their lands expropriated to build and expand settlements, and have faced suffocating restrictions disrupting every aspect of their daily lives, from family separation and restrictions on freedom of movement to denial of access to land, water, and natural resources.

“The ICJ opinion comes at a time when Israel has been flagrantly flouting international humanitarian law on a cataclysmic scale for the past nine months, carrying out deadly and unlawful attacks during its onslaught in the occupied Gaza Strip that have claimed an unprecedented toll on civilians.” [3]

Zionist state is completely finished

The apartheid state has been building illegal settlements on stolen Palestinian land since the 1967 war, when the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem were all seized.

With approximately 700,000 illegal settlers now residing in roughly 160 settlements, Israel has acted with impunity for nearly six decades. But all this is now set to come crashing down.

In recent months, more and more countries — including European Union member states such as Spain, Sweden, and Ireland, and others within the continent, such as Slovenia and Norway — have begun to recognise Palestine. [4] [5]

Israel, therefore, is running out of time before the entire world turns its back on it, just as the world ultimately woke up to and shunned apartheid South Africa.

Britain must recognise Palestine

For the United Kingdom, which has been following the American line on the ongoing genocide in Gaza, the new Labour government has no choice but to recognise Palestine.

Tayab Ali, Director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP) and Partner at Bindmans LLP, warned the government on the day of the ICJ ruling,

“The UK’s position on the ICC and jurisdiction is over.

“The Court ruled that a treaty does not trump international law. That means the UK’s position on the ICC not having jurisdiction over Israeli action in Gaza is the weakest it could possibly be. Time for the UK to withdraw its recent submission.

“Self-determination cannot be subject to conditions by the occupier. This means Keir Starmer and Labour’s position of stalling in recognising Palestine is unlawful.

“The court ruled that Gaza, West Bank, and East Jerusalem is a single sovereign unit. The UK government must recognise Palestine immediately.” [6]

Analysis

ANALYSIS

Faraz Khan

News Editor

Reparations due for 57 years of harm

The ICJ has declared Israel's long-term occupation of Palestinian territory 'unlawful', amounting to de facto annexation.

The court has called for Israel to quickly withdraw from the occupied territories and ruled that Palestinians are due reparations for the harm caused by 57 years of systematic discrimination.

Since 1967, Israel has built approximately 160 illegal settlements housing around 700,000 settlers in these territories.

The ICJ ruling followed a comprehensive examination of Israel's policies and the legal status of the occupation, which began at the request of the UN General Assembly early last year.

Israel had control of Gaza Strip long before genocide

The court also highlighted that Israel's 2005 withdrawal from the Gaza Strip did not, in fact, end its control over the area, maintaining that the occupation persists to this day.

At the same time, Israel is facing a genocide case at the ICJ brought by South Africa, while the ICC Prosecutor seeks arrest warrants for top Israeli leaders.

Israel is certainly fearful that the ICJ's advisory opinion could legitimise the ICC to issue international arrest warrants for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant.

A huge victory for Palestine and for Muslims

This decision is a significant victory for the Palestinian people and offers a powerful tool for mobilising international pressure against Israel.

The ruling confirms that Israel is practising a system of apartheid, providing a strong legal basis for a global campaign to resist the Israeli apartheid regime.

The occupation must end.