The International Court of Justice (ICJ) announced that it will deliver an advisory opinion on July 19 regarding the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
“A public sitting will take place at 3 p.m. at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the seat of the Court, during which Judge Nawaf Salam, President of the Court, will read out the Advisory Opinion,” the ICJ said in a statement on Friday.
At the public hearings, Palestine’s UN envoy Riyad Mansour urged the ICJ to declare Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, emphasizing that such a ruling would pave the way for an immediate end to the occupation and the establishment of a “just and lasting peace.”
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The hearings took place in the Hague from February 19 to 26 after the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution in December 2022.
UNGA Resolution 77/247 requested an advisory opinion from the ICJ on the legality of Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories and the consequences of Israel’s conduct for other states and the UN.
A record 52 countries presented arguments at what is also known as the World Court about the legal ramifications of Israel’s actions in the territories.
Without participating in the hearings, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office issued a statement rejecting the legitimacy of the hearings, accusing them of attempting to further undermine Israel’s right to survival and self-defense.
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While Israel has ignored such opinions in the past, the ICJ ruling next week could add political pressure over its devastating nine-month-old war against Palestinian militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
The UN-affiliated ICJ is the only international court that adjudicates general disputes between nations and provides advisory opinions on international legal issues.
(The Palestine Chronicle)
