The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has declared that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should end “as rapidly as possible.”
Nawaf Salam, president of the ICJ in The Hague, delivered the nonbinding advisory opinion issued by the 15-judge panel regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory on Friday.
The judges cited a range of policies—including the building and expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, exploitation of the area’s natural resources, annexation and imposition of permanent control over lands, and discriminatory policies against Palestinians—that violate international law.
The court stated that Israel has no right to sovereignty over these territories, is breaching international laws against acquiring territory by force, and is obstructing Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
It emphasized that other nations are obliged not to “render aid or assistance in maintaining” Israel’s presence in the territory. The court also mandated that Israel must cease settlement construction immediately and dismantle existing settlements, according to a summary of the more than 80-page opinion read by Salam.
Israel’s “abuse of its status as the occupying power” makes its “presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful,” the court said.
“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,” the court concluded.
The court’s opinion was sought following a 2022 request from the United Nations General Assembly. The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the highest UN body for resolving disputes between states.
