IN an historical move on July 19, The Hague–based International Court of Justice– while delivering its long-awaited advisory opinion regarding the legal consequences arising from Israel’s actions, policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and most profoundly, the crucial consequences of Israel’s conduct for other states, particularly more than 50 participating states , including Palestine –concluded that, “The sustained abuse by Israel of its position as an occupying Power, through annexation and assertion of permanent control over the Occupied Palestinian Territory and continued frustration of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, violates fundamental principles of international law and renders Israel’s presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory unlawful’’.

The request for an advisory opinion was adopted by the UNGA on 30 December 2022 and asked the most reverend 15 Judges of the World Court to address Israel’s “ongoing” or “continuing” policies and practices. With regard to the question of the prolonged occupation, the Court notes that question (a) concerns in part the legal consequences arising from Israel’s “prolonged occupation” of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. In this regard, the Court notes that Israel’s occupation has lasted for more than 57 years. In order to answer this aspect of the question, the Court must turn to the relationship between Israel, as the occupying Power, and the protected population of the occupied territory, which is governed by the law of occupation.

As for the legality of the continued presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, the (paras 259-264), the Court........

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