UN vote on Israel's occupation is hailed by Palestinians as a "victory"

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Dec 31 2022 04:01 PM
ANIKET DIXIT

WESTBANK: Palestinians on Saturday applauded the decision by the UN General Assembly to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for an opinion on the legal implications of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories.

Nabil Abu Rudineh, a spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, declared that "the time has come for the State of Israel to be subject to law, and be held accountable for the ongoing crimes against our people."

A top Palestinian official, Hussein al-Sheikh, wrote on Twitter that Friday's vote "shows a victory for Palestinian diplomacy." In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, which the Palestinians want to form a state. It left Gaza in 2005, but it still maintains border control over the enclave with neighboring Egypt.

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The highest United Nations tribunal handling disputes between states is the International Court of Justice (ICJ), headquartered in The Hague and also known as the World Court. Although the ICJ does not have the authority to do so, its decisions are enforceable.

A resolution that received 87 votes in favor and was passed by the General Assembly requested a court opinion on Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories. While 53 members abstained, Israel, the United States and 24 other members abstained.

"No international organization has the right to declare the Jewish people 'possessors' in their own country." Gilad Erdan, Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, said in a statement before the vote that "any decision from a judicial body that receives its mandate from the morally bankrupt and politically UN completely illegitimate."

Last month, Israel's outgoing prime minister, Yair Lapid, who was succeeded by Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, urged world leaders to oppose the action, claiming that taking the matter to court was "only for extremists". Will play into the hands."

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The Islamist organization Hamas captured Gaza in 2007, following a brief civil war with more moderate Palestinian rivals. Israel and Hamas have since been engaged in three conflicts in Gaza.

The vote comes a day after a new hard-right Israeli government was sworn in, which has vowed to pursue controversial domestic and international policies and expand Jewish settlements. This was noted by Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian UN envoy.

Mansour told the General Assembly, "We are confident that regardless of your vote today, if you believe in international law and peace, you will uphold the decision of the International Court of Justice and you will stand against this Israeli government right now.

The United Nations General Assembly requested an advisory opinion from the ICJ regarding the legal implications of Israel's "occupation, settlement and annexation", including measures to change the demographic makeup, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, as well as related discriminatory measures. Adoption of laws and measures.

Furthermore, the UN resolution requested the ICJ's opinion on how these practices "affect the legal status of the occupation" and what legal consequences this status has for all countries and the United Nations.

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The International Court of Justice (ICJ) last commented on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict in 2004, finding that an Israeli wall separating the two sides was unconstitutional. Israel disagreed with the verdict and alleged political bias on the part of the court.