THE HAGUE: Arab states urged international judges on Monday to declare Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories illegal, and Turkey called the occupation a “genuine obstacle to peace” on the final day of hearings in a case examining its legal status.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) heard arguments from more than 50 states following a 2022 request by the UN General Assembly to issue a non-binding opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation.
On the sixth and final day of the hearing, Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister Ahmet Yildiz told judges that the occupation was the main cause of the conflict in the region.
Yildiz also addressed the October 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, which killed 1,200 people, and Israel’s military response, which has since killed more than 29,000 Palestinians.
“The developing situation after October 7 proves once again that without solving the root cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there can be no peace in the region,” he said, calling the occupation of the Palestinian territories “a real obstacle to peace.” ” and urges judges to declare it illegal.
Israel, which is not participating in the hearing, said the court’s involvement could be detrimental to achieving a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, calling the questions asked by the court biased.
Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit described the occupation as “an affront to international justice” in a statement read by a deputy in court.
The vast majority of states that took part in hearings at the ICJ – also known as the World Court – asked the judges to declare the occupation illegal.
A handful of states, including the tiny island nation of Fiji on Monday, argued that the ICJ should decline to provide any advisory opinion.
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The United States last week urged the court to limit any advisory opinion on the occupation and not order an unconditional withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Palestinian territories.
On Friday, the Biden administration said Israel’s settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank was inconsistent with international law, signaling a return to long-standing US policy reversed by the previous administration of Donald Trump.
The ICJ hearings ended on Monday and the date of the decision will be announced in due course, the court said. The 15-member panel is expected to take about six months to issue a non-binding opinion on the occupation.
World powers have also pressured Palestinian factions to end their own disputes over their response to the Israeli occupation, the Gaza war and what political system might follow it.
On Monday, Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh announced that he had resigned to pave the way for a political consensus on a political structure to govern Gaza after the conflict.
