Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is “illegal”, rules the International Court of Justice

This occupation must end “as quickly as possible”, the highest UN court said on Friday.

Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 is “illegal”the International Court of Justice (ICJ) said on Friday, July 19. The UN’s highest court added that it must stop “as quickly as possible”. In this unprecedented case, some 50 states have testified. The opinion given by the ICJ, which sits in The Hague, is not binding but could increase the growing international legal pressure on Israel over the war in the Gaza Strip.

In 1967, Israel waged a lightning war against Egypt, Jordan and Syria. After this six-day offensive, the Israeli army occupied the Sinai, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and the Golan Heights. This was when the first Jewish settlements began.

“This is a great day for Palestine”welcomed Varsen Aghabekian Chahine, Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs of the Palestinian Authority. The ICJ “presented a very detailed analysis of what is happening through Israel’s prolonged occupation and colonization of Palestinian territory, in violation of international law”she added.

“Jews are not occupiers in their own land”reacted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a reaction shared by the Prime Minister’s office. “No lying decision in The Hague can distort the historical truth” And “the legality of Israeli settlements” born “cannot be disputed”he added.

Nearly 500,000 people live today in the West Bank, a Palestinian territory, and are spread across 300 colonies, according to the Israeli NGO Peace Now. They are contrary to the Fourth Geneva Convention, which defines the law of occupation, as François Dubuisson, professor of international law, reminded France Télévisions.