A historic decision. In an opinion published last Friday, the International Court of Justice found that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967 was “illegal”, announcing, in the same way, that this occupation must end “as quickly as possible”. A judgment “largely consistent with the positions of the European Union which are themselves entirely aligned with the UN resolutions concerning the status of the occupied Palestinian territory”, said this Saturday, the head of European diplomacy Josep Borell.
“In a world of constant and increasing violations of international law, it is our moral duty to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to all decisions of the ICJ in a consistent manner, regardless of the subject in question,” adds the High Representative of the ICJ. European Union for Foreign Affairs, in a press release. The ICJ concludes that “the continued presence of the State of Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory is illegal and must be ended as quickly as possible,” recalls Josep Borrell.
The European Union “takes note” of this advisory opinion rendered Friday by the highest court of the UN, he explains.
“The State of Israel has an obligation to immediately cease all new settlement activities and evacuate all settlers from the occupied Palestinian territory,” he summarizes. And “all States have the obligation not to recognize this situation as legal and not to provide aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by this illegal presence.”
This article is originally published on .leparisien.fr
