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THE HAGUE (Reuters) – The United Nations Supreme Court began a week of hearings on Monday into the legal implications of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, with more than 50 countries scheduled to address the judge.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki will be the first to speak during legal proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
In 2022, the United Nations General Assembly asked the court for an advisory or non-binding opinion on the occupation.
Israel has ignored such opinions in the past, but political pressure is likely to increase over the ongoing war in Gaza that has killed around 29,000 Palestinians since October 7. Gaza health officials have announced that.
Countries scheduled to participate in the hearing include the United States, Israel’s strongest backer, China, Russia, South Africa and Egypt. Israel sent written observations but will not do so.
The hearing is part of the Palestinian effort to have international legal bodies investigate Israel’s actions, and is the latest emergency since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack in Israel that killed 1,200 people and Israel’s military response. sexuality is increasing.
Their actions also come amid growing concerns about an Israeli ground assault on the Gaza city of Rafah, the last refuge for more than 1 million Palestinians who fled Israeli attacks into the southern enclave.
In the 1967 war, Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem, areas of historic Palestine where Palestinians want to establish a state. It withdrew from Gaza in 2005, but still controls the border with neighboring Egypt.
This is the second time that the United Nations General Assembly has asked the ICJ, also known as the World Court, for an advisory opinion related to the occupied Palestinian territories.
In July 2004, a court ruled that Israel’s separation wall in the West Bank violates international law and must be removed, although it remains in place.
The judges are currently ruling on Israel’s “occupation, settlement, and annexation, including measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, character, and status of the holy city of Jerusalem, and the introduction of related discriminatory laws and measures.” ” has been requested to be reviewed.
Since 1967, Israel has significantly expanded Jewish settlements in the West Bank, a move Palestinians say jeopardizes the establishment of a viable Palestinian state. It also annexed East Jerusalem in a move that is not recognized by most countries.
The General Assembly also asked the ICJ’s 15-judge panel to determine how these policies and practices “impact on the legal status of occupation” and how this status affects all states and the United Nations. It asked for advice as to whether there would be any legal repercussions.
The advisory opinion process is separate from the genocide case brought by South Africa in the World Court against Israel for alleged violations of the 1948 Genocide Convention in Gaza. In late January, the ICJ ordered Israel to do everything in its power to stop genocide in Gaza.
According to the ICJ, the outcome of the advisory opinion is not legally binding, but carries “significant legal weight and moral authority.”
(Reporting by Anthony Deutsch and Stephanie van den Bergh; Editing by Angus McSwan)
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