ICJ to give view on consequences of Israel occupation

The Peace Palace, the seat of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. (Nick Gammon/AFP)

• The ICJ held a week-long session in February to hear submissions from countries following a request from the United Nations late last year.
• Most speakers during the hearings demanded that Israel end its occupation, which came after a six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967.
• The opinion by the top UN court would be non-binding.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will next week hand down its view on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, a case in which some 52 countries made submissions.

Any opinion delivered by the ICJ would be non-binding, but it will come amid mounting international legal pressure on Israel over the war in Gaza sparked by the brutal 7 October Hamas attacks.

“A public sitting will take place at the Peace Palace in The Hague (on 19 July)… during which Judge Nawaf Salam… will read out the Advisory Opinion,” the ICJ said on Friday.

The ICJ held a week-long session in February to hear submissions from countries following a request from the United Nations late last year.

The UN has asked the ICJ to hand down an “advisory opinion” on the “legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”.

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Most speakers during the hearings demanded that Israel end its occupation, which came after a six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967.

But the United States said Israel should not be legally obliged to withdraw without taking its “very real security needs” into account.

Speakers also warned a prolonged occupation posed an “extreme danger” to stability in the Middle East and beyond.

Israel did not take part in the oral hearings.

It submitted a written contribution, in which it described the questions the court had been asked as “prejudicial” and “tendentious”.

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The case before the court is separate from one brought by South Africa against Israel for alleged genocide during its current offensive in Gaza.

South Africa has gone to the ICJ several times arguing that the dire humanitarian situation means the court should issue further fresh emergency measures.

In an initial ruling on 26 January, the ICJ ordered Israel to do everything it could to prevent acts of genocide during its military operation in Gaza.

It also called for the unconditional release of hostages taken by Palestinian militant group Hamas during its 7 October assault that sparked the war.