An advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) declaring Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories illegal has elicited sharply contrasting responses from Israel and Palestine. In a statement released on Friday, the Palestinian presidency hailed the ICJ's decision as a "triumph for justice," urging the international community to pressure Israel to end its occupation "without conditions or exceptions." The statement emphasized that the decision reaffirms Palestinian rights to self-determination and statehood.
Earlier in the day, the ICJ issued its non-binding opinion, stating that Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem violate international law and calling on Israel to end its presence in these territories "as rapidly as possible."
Hamas, engaged in conflict with Israel in the Gaza Strip, also welcomed the ICJ opinion. The group called for "immediate" international action to end the occupation, asserting that the opinion compels the international community to act swiftly.
However, Israel rejected the ICJ's ruling. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a press release on Friday that "the legality of Israeli settlements in all the territories of our homeland cannot be contested." Netanyahu emphasised Israel's historical connection to the land, describing the Jewish people as "not conquerors in their own land," and referred to annexed East Jerusalem as part of Israel's "eternal capital." Foreign Minister Israel Katz criticised the opinion as "one-sided and wrong," and the Israeli foreign ministry reiterated that the advisory opinion is non-binding and that Israel is not obliged to adopt it. The ministry affirmed Israel's commitment to international law.
In contrast, Egypt and the Arab League welcomed the ICJ's call to end Israel's "unlawful" presence in the occupied Palestinian territories. Egypt's foreign ministry urged all international parties to uphold and implement the ICJ's advisory opinion, emphasising the need to support Palestinian self-determination. Egypt also called on the UN General Assembly and Security Council to take measures to end Israel's presence in Palestinian territories, stressing the international community's responsibility to alleviate Palestinian suffering and halt Israeli violations in Gaza.
Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul-Gheit, echoed Egypt's sentiments, welcoming the ICJ's opinion. In a statement, Aboul-Gheit said the court's opinion provides crucial legal legitimacy to the Palestinian narrative and counteracts Israel's attempts to distort the nature and origins of the conflict. He highlighted the advisory opinion's legal and moral significance as evidence to challenge Israeli arguments.
The ICJ issued its advisory opinion following a request from the UN General Assembly, which adopted a resolution in December 2022 seeking the court's view on the legal implications of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. Israel has controlled the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip since the 1967 Middle East war, despite ongoing international opposition to its occupation of these areas.
