In a nonbinding advisory opinion from a 15-judge panel on Israel’s occupation of Palestine, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should be terminated “as rapidly as possible.”
The judges cited a range of policies, including the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, exploitation of the area’s natural resources, annexation and permanent control of lands, and discriminatory actions against Palestinians, all of which they deemed violations of international law.
The court asserted that Israel has no rightful sovereignty over these territories, is breaching international laws against acquiring territory by force, and is obstructing Palestinians' right to self-determination.
The ICJ stated that other nations are obliged not to “render aid or assistance in maintaining” Israel’s presence in the territory, urging an immediate halt to settlement construction and the removal of existing settlements.
The court declared that Israel’s abuse of its status as the occupying power makes its presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful and stressed that “Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law.”
This advisory opinion was requested by the United Nations General Assembly in 2022.
Israel annexed the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem—areas of historic Palestine—in a 1967 war, subsequently building and expanding settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and maintaining settlements in Gaza until a 2005 withdrawal. The UN and the majority of the international community regard the Palestinian territory as Israeli-occupied.