For almost 60 years, Israel has occupied Palestinian territories. A violation of international law, says the highest UN court. The opinion is likely to increase pressure on Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government in the Middle East war.
The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is deemed illegal by the highest UN court. The Israeli settlement policy in the occupied territories also violates international law. The International Court of Justice in The Hague states that Israel is effectively committing annexation.
The UN court found that “Israel’s continued presence in the Palestinian territories is illegal,” stated Judge Nawaf Salam. Israel must end the occupation “as soon as possible.”
Netanyahu: “No conqueror in our own land”
The opinion is legally non-binding. However, it is expected to further increase international political pressure on Israel. This pressure has recently risen significantly due to Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip. Following the terrorist attack at the beginning of October, Israel combatting the militant Islamist Hamas has resulted in hundreds of deaths. The war has severe consequences for the civilian population.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu criticized the classification of the International Court of Justice – in contrast, the Palestinian side welcomed the opinion. It was a “great day for Palestine,” declared the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority, Warsen Aghabekian Schahin.
Netanyahu wrote on the social media platform X regarding the ICJ opinion that the West Bank and East Jerusalem are part of the historic homeland of the Jewish people – a reference to biblical times. The “Israeli settlements in all areas of our homeland” are legal. “The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land – neither in our eternal capital Jerusalem nor in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria.” The latter is the historical designation for the West Bank.
Israel occupied the territories during the Six-Day War in 1967
The UN General Assembly tasked the court with clarifying the legal consequences of Israel’s ongoing occupation policy lasting nearly 60 years. Although this was long before the start of the Gaza War, Western critics of Israel can now feel empowered to press Israel towards withdrawal and support the establishment of a Palestinian state.
Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem during the Six-Day War of 1967. However, the Palestinians claim these territories for their own state. In 2005, Israel left Gaza but continues to control its land, water, and air borders.
Lawsuit for accusations of genocide is still ongoing
This is the second legal opinion from the court regarding Israel’s occupation policy. Twenty years ago, in July 2004, the judges already stated that the wall erected by Israel in the West Bank violated international law and thus needed to be torn down. However, Israel did not comply with that.
The opinion presented today is independent of another case before the UN court. In 2023, South Africa brought Israel before the court and accused the country of genocide due to its attacks on the Gaza Strip. Israel denies these allegations.