ICJ Confirms Acceptance of UN Request for Advisory Opinion on Israeli Occupation

The Hague, MINA – The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday confirmed that it had officially accepted a request from the UN General Assembly to issue an opinion about the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

The Hague-based court said in a statement, quoted from Wafa, the request was sent to the ICJ by letter by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, on January 17, and the request was registered on Thursday.”

Last December 30, the UN General Assembly adopted a majority of the draft “Resolution on Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem”.

The draft resolution seeks an advisory opinion from the ICJ on the legal consequences of Israel’s “occupation, settlement and annexation including measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem.”

The draft UN resolution also calls on the ICJ to advise on how such policies and practices affect the legal status of the occupation and what the legal consequences are for all countries and for the UN from this situation.

The ICJ is expected to compile a list of countries and organizations that can submit written statements, but the press release did not provide further information on the timetable for that process.

In counsel’s previous opinion, the court also scheduled a hearing but it will likely take at least several months before it can be scheduled.

The Hague-based ICJ is the UN’s highest court adjudicating disputes between countries. The ruling is binding, although the ICJ has no power to enforce it. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)