ICJ declares Israel an occupying power in Gaza
Palestinians inspect the massive destruction of Abdullah Azzam Mosque and surrounding buildings, in Nuseirat, central Gaza, Palestine, July 17, 2024. (AA Photo)
International Court of Justice’s (ICJ President Nawaf Salam issued an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.
In his statement, Salam declared, “Israel is an occupying power in Gaza.”
The ICJ’s advisory opinion addresses the legal ramifications of Israel’s practices in the occupied Palestinian territories. President Salam emphasized that Israel holds an occupying status.
The ICJ’s initial statement clarified, “The occupied Palestinian territories are not fragmented areas but constitute a single territorial unit.”
It added that The Hague Regulations have become part of customary international law and are therefore binding on Israel.
President Salam underscored the illegality of settlers in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, stating, “Israel’s occupation policy violates the Geneva Conventions. Since the first advisory opinion, Israel’s settlement policy has significantly expanded. The presence of settlers in east Jerusalem and the West Bank is unlawful. Israel’s exploitation of natural resources in the occupied territories also breaches international law.”
