ISLAMABAD: On Friday, Pakistan will present its position at the ongoing advisory proceedings of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Israel case.
In a statement, Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said: “Tomorrow evening, Pakistan will present its position at the ongoing advisory proceedings of the International Court of Justice in a case on the legal consequences of Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied countries.” Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.
More than 50 states are due to present their positions at the weekly hearings, which further highlighted the isolation of some of Israel’s supporters, following a UN Security Council hearing on Tuesday in which the US was the only vote against a draft ceasefire resolution, with the UK abstaining. The US and UK are expected to be virtually alone again at the ICJ hearings as they urge restraint in their decision on the Israeli occupation.
The ICJ is expected to issue its opinion by the summer and could have far-reaching political and legal ramifications if it rules that the occupation is illegal. For example, it could have implications for governments trying to ban boycott campaigns targeting products made in occupied territories. It could also further increase the geopolitical cost to the US and UK of continuing to defend Israel on the world stage.
Most of the other states that joined the case argued the opposite: that the lack of action in the face of the Israeli government’s adamant opposition to the establishment of a Palestinian state required decisive intervention by the ICJ.
“That’s the central dispute between the US and many other states about the caution of the court that advises on certain issues,” said Adil Haque, a professor at Rutgers Law School.
