THE HAGUE: Public hearings have continued for the fourth day at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem.
12 countries are presenting their legal arguments at the ICJ in relation to South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, underscoring its unlawful occupation of Gaza.
The countries are China, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, and Mauritius
The public sessions will continue for six days, between February 19 and 26, to listen to briefings from 52 countries, in addition to the African Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the League of Arab States.
The hearings come based on the United Nations General Assembly’s request to obtain an advisory opinion from ICJ on the effects of the Israeli occupation that has continued for more than 57 years.
China declares support for the Palestinian people in restoring their l
egitimate rights
Ma Xinmin, legal adviser to the Chinese foreign ministry, said Beijing ‘has consistently supported the just cause of the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate right’.
Israeli policies in occupied territories have violated international humanitarian law, said the official, who was speaking on the fourth day of hearings into the legality of Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories acquired in 1967.
‘The Palestinian people fight against Israeli oppression and their struggle for completing establishment of an independent state in the occupied territories are essentially just actions for restoring their legitimate rights,’ said Ma.
Ireland: Israel committing serious breaches of international law
Ireland, which was represented by Attorney General Rossa Fanning, said Israel had committed ‘serious breaches’ of international law during its five decade-long occupation of Palestinian territories.
In its continuing war on Gaza, which has killed more than 29,400 Palestinians, Israel
has ‘exceeded’ its right to the use of force since October 7, said Fanning.
‘This is manifest from the spiralling death toll, the extensive destruction of property including homes throughout Gaza, the displacement of up to two million people and the ensuing humanitarian catastrophe,’ he said.
Jordan: Israel is not being held accountable for its war crimes
Jordan’s Foreign Affairs Minister Ayman Safadi, told the ICJ: ‘Palestinians are being killed in the hundreds every day in Gaza and in the West Bank because Israel is not being held accountable of its war crimes and violations of international law.”
Safadi called on the court to ‘rule that this brutality can be no more’. ‘The source of all evil must end,’ he said.
He highlighted that approximately 2.3 million Palestinian citizens in Gaza endure killings, starvation, and the deprivation of essential services, medicine, and food. Safadi pointed out that half a million individuals, including children, are suffering from famine due to the occupation’s polici
es and its aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip, leading to the destruction of vital life components.
Safadi called for an immediate halt to the illegitimate Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands and urged accountability for Israel’s crimes against civilians.
He appealed to the international community and the International Criminal Court to intervene and hold war criminals accountable, emphasizing their disregard for international law, conventions, and treaties that guarantee the freedom and right to self-determination of nations.
Iraq calls for Israel to be held to account for committing a genocide
In his briefing, the representative of Iraq has urged the international community to hold Israel accountable for committing genocide against Palestinians.
Calling for the application of international justice, he emphasized the need to end the injustice faced by Palestinians for decades due to Israeli occupation. The representative called on the International Court of Justice to take all necessary measures
to protect Palestinians and uphold their legitimate rights.
He stated that the exceptional and difficult conditions in which the Palestinian people live require a serious stance to achieve international justice, emphasizing that the current situation serves as a test for humanity worldwide.
The representative urged the International Court to take concrete steps towards ending the Israeli occupation, citing its advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the construction of the separation wall in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Mauritius calls for two-state solution
The representative of Mauritius stated that international law prohibits the forcible seizure of Palestinian territories and the creation of a new reality. He denounced Israel’s illegitimate practices, including settlement expansion, infrastructure projects, and the establishment of military facilities, reinforcing the Israeli occupation.
The representative urged the International Court of Justice to take tangible steps toward
s a two-state solution, ensuring security and peace for both the Palestinian and Israeli people.
Japan emphasizes the necessity of establishing a Palestinian state
Japan’s representative affirmed his country’s belief in the two-state solution and the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in accordance with international law. He deemed Israel’s seizure of Palestinian lands as illegitimate and unjustified.
The representative emphasized that Israeli occupation and the use of force violate international law and the UN Charter, guaranteeing the rights of Palestinians.
He called for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from the occupied territories since 1967 and urged the International Court to consider these matters within the framework of international law and UN conventions.
Iran urges urgent action to end the tragedy in Gaza
The Iranian representative highlighted reports from the United Nations indicating that Israel is conducting a military offensive against two million Palestinians in Gaza, attemp
ting to eliminate them and disrupt all aspects of life.
He stressed that Israel’s use of force and occupation of Palestinian territories constitutes a clear violation of international law and the UN Charter, which guarantees the rights of Palestinians.
The representative called for an end to the tragedy in Gaza, including massacres, blockades, continuous arrests, and the usurpation of legitimate rights. He emphasized the urgent need for the international community to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Background
On November 11, 2022, the Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, the Special Committee on Political Issues and Decolonization, adopted a draft resolution submitted by the State of Palestine to request a legal advisory opinion and advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, on the nature of the existence of the Israeli colonial occupation in the territory of the State of Palestine, including Jerusalem.
Source: Palestine news and Information Agency – WAFA