Arab Countries and Turkey Urge World Court to Declare 'Occupation of Palestinian Territories' Illegal

On Monday, Arab countries urged judges at the International Court of Justice to declare Israel's actions in occupying Palestinian territories illegal. According to Reuters, Turkey also referred to the 'occupation' as a 'real barrier to peace' on the last day of hearings regarding the legal status of the 'occupation of Palestinian territories.' The International Court of Justice, also known as the 'World Court,' is hearing arguments from over 50 countries following a request from the UN General Assembly in 2022 for an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of 'Israeli occupation.' On the sixth and final day of the court's hearing, Turkey's Deputy Foreign Minister claimed that the 'occupation' is the main cause of conflict in the region. He also referenced the October 7 attacks by Hamas on southern Israel, which resulted in over 1,200 deaths and triggered a military response from Israel. According to Palestinian sources, Israeli operations have left over 29,000 dead in Gaza. Israel claims to have killed thousands of members of the terrorist group Hamas. The Turkish Deputy Foreign Minister stated, 'The clear situation after October 7 once again proves that without addressing the root cause of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there will be no peace in the region.' He called the 'occupation of Palestinian territories' a 'real barrier to peace' and urged the judges to declare it illegal. Israel, which did not participate in these sessions, stated that the court's intervention could be detrimental to finding a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian dispute through negotiations and described the questions posed by the court as biased. Palestinian factions are also under international pressure to resolve their internal disagreements regarding 'occupied territories,' the Gaza war, and what political system should be in place in the future. The Arab League has asked the World Court to confirm the 'illegality of this occupation' and to issue a ruling without ambiguity regarding its legal consequences for all parties, especially those who turn a blind eye, facilitate, assist, or in any way participate in the continuation of this illegal situation. Last week, Palestinian representatives asked the judges to declare Israel's 'occupation' of their territories illegal, stating that the court's opinion could help achieve a two-state solution. The Islamic Republic of Iran opposes the two-state solution idea, and Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, has indicated that he will not be satisfied with anything less than the destruction of Israel. The United States last week urged the court to limit any advisory opinion regarding the 'occupation' and not to issue an unconditional order for the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Palestinian territories. On Friday, the Biden administration stated that the expansion of Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank contradicts international law, indicating a return to a longstanding U.S. policy that was abandoned by the previous Trump administration. It is expected that the issuance of the non-binding ruling by the judges of the World Court regarding the legal status of the 'occupation of Palestinian territories' will take about six months. The UN Secretary-General: The authority of this international body has been weakened due to the deadlock in Gaza and Ukraine. Sullivan: The U.S., Egypt, Qatar, and Israel have reached an understanding on a temporary ceasefire agreement in Gaza. Israeli Defense Minister: Hezbollah will retreat from the border either by agreement or by force. Netanyahu: The fate of the hostage release agreement is unclear. Israel: 'Precise and limited operations' at Nasser Hospital have ended; 200 people were arrested. Egyptian state media: Doha negotiations to stop the Gaza conflicts have resumed.