The top United Nations court has ruled that Israel’s settlement policies and use of natural resources in the occupied Palestinian territories violate international law.
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) stated that “the transfer by Israel of settlers to the West Bank and Jerusalem, as well as Israel’s maintenance of their presence, is contrary to Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.” The panel of 15 judges also declared the use of natural resources in these territories as “inconsistent” with Israel’s obligations under international law as an occupying power.
ICJ President Nawaf Salam delivered the court’s full opinion in a Friday session.
Israel has been engaged in a military assault on Gaza since the Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel in October. In a separate case, the ICJ is considering a South African claim that Israel’s campaign in Gaza amounts to genocide, a claim Israel vehemently denies.
Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza Strip in the 1967 Six-Day War. The Palestinians seek all three areas for an independent state. While Israel considers the West Bank to be disputed territory, it annexed East Jerusalem, a move not recognized internationally, and withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but maintained a blockade after Hamas took power in 2007. The international community generally considers all three areas to be occupied territory.
