ICJ: Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands is 'unlawful' and amounts to 'de-facto annexation'

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has issued an advisory opinion on Friday finding Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories to be "unlawful", and should be brought to an end "as rapidly as possible."

Delivering the court's findings, ICJ President Nawaf Salam said that Israel must make reparations to Palestinians for damages caused by its occupation, adding that the UN Security Council, the General Assembly and all states have an obligation to not recognise Israel's occupation as legal.

“The sustained abuse of Israel of its position as an occupying power through annexation and an assertion of permanent control over the occupied Palestinian territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful," he said.

The decision follows a request in December 2022 by the United Nations General Assembly for the court to give its view on Israel's policies and practices towards the Palestinians and on the legal status of the 57-year-long occupation of Palestinian lands.

Among other comments, he said that the "transfer by Israel of settlers" to the occupied territories was contrary to the Geneva Convention, adding that Israel's occupation of natural resources is "inconsistent with Palestinians right to sovereignty over natural resources."

Read more: Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands is 'unlawful' and amounts to 'de-facto annexation', says ICJ