EU supports ICJ ruling on Israeli occupation and reiterates its “unwavering commitment” to it

Jul 21. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The European Union on Saturday backed the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued the day before, in which the court declared Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories “illegal”, demanding an “immediate” end to it.

“These conclusions are largely consistent with EU positions, which are in turn fully aligned with the UN resolutions on the status of the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” said EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell, while assuring that the opinion will be analysed “more closely.”

In a statement, Brussels reiterated its “unwavering commitment” to “all” ICJ resolutions as a “moral duty” at a time when “increasing violations of international law” are taking place.

In line with the ICJ’s ruling on Friday, the EU has recalled that the Jewish state “has the obligation to immediately cease all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers from the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”

In addition, the supranational body has pointed to the rest of the States, who “have the obligation not to recognize the settlement policy as legal”, which implies that they should not “provide help or assistance” to maintain this “illegal presence”.

The statement came after the ICJ ruled on Friday that Israel’s settlement policy in the occupied Palestinian territories is contrary to the Fourth Geneva Convention on the forced displacement of persons and, in particular with regard to the exploitation of the natural resources of these territories and the imposition of Israeli national laws on them, constitutes an annexation effort and is contrary to international law.

This ruling is the result of a series of hearings that the ICJ opened in February regarding the request submitted in December 2022 by the United Nations General Assembly for it to communicate a formal opinion on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Following its publication, the ICJ has left it up to the United Nations General Assembly and the Security Council to decide what steps to take and to consider “what additional measures are required to end Israel’s illegal presence, taking into account the opinion” issued on Friday.