Egypt welcomes ICJ’s advisory opinion on Israeli’s practices in Palestine

CAIRO – 19 July 2024: Egypt welcomed Friday an advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on the legal consequences of Israeli policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

In a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Egypt said that the court's opinion confirmed several key elements, most notably the illegality of the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories as it violates the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and breaches the principle of the inadmissibility of acquiring territory by force.

The court ruled that Israel must end this illegal occupation as soon as possible, immediately halt any new settlement activities, evacuate all settlements from the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and compensate for the material and moral damages resulting from its illegal policies and practices, the statement read.

Egypt also welcomed the court's confirmation of the obligation of all states, international organizations, and institutions, including the United Nations, not to recognize the situation resulting from Israel's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories.

It called on the General Assembly and the Security Council to take the necessary measures to end this Israeli presence.

Egypt urged all international parties to help put the court's advisory opinion into force, assist the Palestinian people in exercising their legitimate right to self-determination, and work to end the humanitarian suffering they endure.

It emphasized the collective responsibility of all states to end this suffering, particularly by halting the ongoing Israeli violations and aggressions in the Gaza Strip and facilitating the entry of humanitarian aid to address the escalating humanitarian catastrophe in the region.

Egypt called on influential and effective parties in the international community to intervene to compel Israel to comply with international law and international humanitarian law.

It reaffirmed its continued efforts to enable the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate rights, establish their independent state within the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and achieve a just and comprehensive peace based on the two-state solution.