The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal and must be ended “as soon as possible.”
On Friday, ICJ President Nawaf Salam read the non-binding advisory opinion regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land in The Hague.
He stated that Israel is continuously violating the sixth paragraph of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
This article stipulates that an occupying power should not deport or transfer parts of its own civilian population into the territory it occupies.
While reading the findings of the 15-judge panel, the ICJ President said, “Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the related policies, have been established and maintained in violation of international law.”
He further mentioned that Israel’s policies and practices in Palestinian territory amount to the annexation of large parts of those areas, and the court found that Israel systematically discriminates against Palestinians in the occupied territory.
The court’s opinion was given in response to a request from the United Nations General Assembly in 2022.
The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the United Nations’ highest authority for hearing disputes between states.