The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) welcomes the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).
Paris, The Hague, 22 July 2024. On July 19, 2024, the ICJ ruled that Israel’s occupation of the OPT is unlawful. The advisory opinion also underscores that Israel, the occupying power, has the obligation to stop all its settlement activity at once, and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The ICJ also concluded that Israel’s prolonged occupation and actions within the OPT constitute breaches of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and numerous violations of international humanitarian and human rights law. Specifically, the ICJ highlighted that these practices constitute a breach of Article 3 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which prohibits racial segregation and apartheid. The ruling emphasises Israel’s denial of Palestinian rights to self-determination and calls upon the international community to take decisive action against these practices and work towards ending the illegal situation.
FIDH underscores the importance of the ICJ’s findings in the context of Israel’s broader strategy to annex Palestinian land and displace its population, which have been accompanied by widespread violence against Palestinians.Until recently, FIDH has condemned the Israeli government’s plans to expand settlements and annex additional Palestinian land as blatant violations of international law. These actions systematically undermine the prospect of a future Palestinian state, violate international law and continue to prohibit the Palestinian people’s exercise of their collective rights. FIDH urges the international community to actively work towards ending the illegal occupation and supporting the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
The ICJ’s findings provide a comprehensive legal framework to address the injustices and ongoing violations in the OPT, highlighting the responsibility of third states and international organizations to act. FIDH calls on states to implement the court’s recommendations, including halting trade with all Israeli settlements and refusing to legitimise the occupation. Additionally, FIDH advocates for targeted sanctions against businesses involved in the occupation and officials responsible for planning and executing the colonisation of Palestinian lands. The international community of states must mobilise to ensure accountability and justice for the Palestinian people, paving the way for a just and lasting peace in the region.
