The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, announced that the EU takes note of the decision of the highest court of the United Nations, according to which the 57-year-long occupation of the Palestinian territories by Israel is illegal. Borrell added that this position is “largely in line with EU positions”.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), based in The Hague, issued an extensive opinion on this matter on Friday. Israel immediately called the verdict a “decision full of lies”, AFP reported.
However, Borrell called for support for MSD’s position in his statement on Saturday. He argued that “in a world of constant and increasingly frequent violations of international law, it is our moral duty to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to consistently support all decisions of the International Court of Justice, regardless of the subject of the dispute.”
In his statement, Borrel added at the same time that the court’s opinion “will need to be analyzed more thoroughly, also considering its implications for EU policy.”
The MSD’s decision is not binding, but comes amid growing concern over the death toll and destruction in Israel’s war against the radical Palestinian movement Hamas, sparked by the October 7, 2023 attacks by Palestinian terrorist commandos on communities in southern Israel. Increased tension in the West Bank is also causing concern.
The MSD verdict and its support from the EU will likely increase diplomatic pressure on Israel in connection with the war in the Gaza Strip, AFP reports.
Netanyahu: The Jewish nation is not an occupier
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the MSD’s decision. “The Jewish people are not occupiers in their own land – neither in our eternal capital, Jerusalem, nor in the land of our ancestors in Judea and Samaria” (the occupied West Bank), Netanyahu said in his statement.
In June 1967, Israel captured the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the Golan Heights from Syria and the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt in the Six Day War against its Arab neighbors. Subsequently, he began to settle 70,000 km2 of the occupied territory.
The UN later declared this occupation of Palestinian territory illegal.
Egypt regained the Sinai under the 1979 peace agreement with Israel.
The MSD said on Friday that Israel’s settlement policy as well as its use of resources in the Palestinian territories are in violation of international law; he described the continued presence of Israel in the Palestinian territories as illegal and considers the Israeli occupation of these territories to be “de facto annexation”.
This independent opinion was prepared by the MSD at the request of the UN General Assembly. He also stated in it that Israel systematically discriminates against Palestinians in the occupied territories and that Israel’s practices, according to the court, violate the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
Source: spravy.pravda.sk
