On Friday, July 19, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, is unlawful and must cease “as rapidly as possible.” The court stated that Israel is obliged to immediately refrain from all new settlement activity; evacuate all settlers from the occupied territories; and pay reparations to Palestinian for the damage caused by Israel’s 57-year military regime. It also affirmed that some of Israel’s policies in the occupied territories amount to the crime of apartheid.
The ruling — known as an advisory opinion — stems from a 2022 request by the UN General Assembly, and is non-binding. But it marks the first time that the world’s top court has expressed its view on the legality of Israel’s control over the occupied territories, and constitutes a sharp repudiation of Israel’s long-held legal defenses. …more
