It was clear when the court’s opinion was read out on Friday afternoon.
The statement concerns the land areas of the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip that Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. Palestinian representatives consider all three areas to belong to Palestine.
The Court was specifically asked by the UN General Assembly to give its view on Israel’s policies and practices towards the Palestinians and the legal status of the occupation.
The ICJ also states, among other things, that Israel’s settlements on Palestinian land are contrary to international law.
Taking a stand for the first time
The international community already considers to a large extent that all three mentioned areas are to be considered as occupied by Israel. But with Friday’s opinion, the ICJ takes a position for the first time that the 57-year occupation is illegal.
The investigation has been ongoing since the beginning of last year.
The court’s position is not binding, but has great political significance.
In a separate case, Israel is being investigated by the ICJ after South Africa accused Israel of violating the Genocide Convention.
Netanyahu: “Our country”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu comments on the ICJ’s position on the platform X.
He calls it “absurd”.
“The Jewish people are not conquerors in their own country,” he writes in a post.