Palestine accuses Israel of ‘racism’ in the International Court of Justice

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki told the UN’s highest court on Monday that the Palestinian people are facing “colonial and ethnic discrimination” by Israel.

The court is reviewing the legality of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.

According to the French news agency AFP, the Palestinian Foreign Minister said that ‘Palestinians faced imperialism and racism. There are people who get angry at these words. They should be outraged by the reality we are facing.’

The International Court of Justice has been holding hearings over the past week on the legal implications of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967, with an unprecedented 52 countries expected to present evidence.

Various countries, including the United States, Russia and China, will express their views in front of the judges at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the headquarters of the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The Palestinian Foreign Minister urged the court to declare the Israeli occupation illegal and order an immediate, complete and unconditional end to the occupation.

“Justice delayed means justice denied and the Palestinian people have been denied justice for a long time,” he said.

‘Now is the time to end the double standards that have held our people captive for so long.’

In December 2022, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ to seek an “advisory opinion” on the “legal consequences of Israel’s policies and actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem”. It is not necessary to obey.

Although the International Court of Justice’s opinion does not impose sanctions, it comes amid growing international legal pressure over Israel’s attacks on Gaza.

The hearing of the case at the International Court of Justice is separate from a high-profile case filed by South Africa alleging that Israel is committing ‘genocide’ during its recent attack on Gaza.

The ICJ ruled in January that Israel should make every effort to stop the genocide and allow humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza. The court refrained from issuing a cease-fire order.

On Friday, the court rejected South Africa’s bid to impose additional sanctions on Israel but reiterated the need for full implementation of the ruling.

The long-standing occupation of the Palestinian territories

The UN General Assembly has asked the ICJ to consider two questions.

First, the court must examine the legal consequences of Israel’s violation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, according to the United Nations.

which is related to the ‘prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of Palestinian territory since 1967’ and ‘measures to change the population, character and status’ of the holy city of occupied Jerusalem.

The ICJ is also requested to examine the consequences of ‘relevant discriminatory legislation and measures’ by Israel.

Secondly, the ICJ should explain how Israel’s actions ‘affect the legality of the occupation’ and what the consequences are for the UN and other countries.

The court is likely to deliver an ‘urgent’ verdict on the matter by the end of this year.