Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory 'illegal': UN top court

The Hague: The UN's top court on Friday said Israel's decades-long occupation of Palestinian territory was "illegal" and needed to end as soon as possible.

"The court has found that Israel's continued presence in the Palestinian Territories is illegal," International Court of Justice presiding judge Nawaf Salam said, adding: "Israel must end the occupation as rapidly as possible."

The ICJ added that Israel was "under an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers" from occupied land.

Israel's policies and practices including the building of new settlements and Israel's continued maintainance of a wall between the territories "amount to annexation of large parts" of the occupied territory, it said.

A separate, high-profile case that South Africa has brought before the court alleges that Israel has committed genocidal acts during its Gaza offensive.

Foreign Minister of Palestine, Riyad al-Maliki (R) and Palestinian Ambassador to the United Nations, Riyad Mansour (L) during a non-binding ruling on the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague on July 19, 2024. (Photo by Lina Selg / ANP / AFP) / Netherlands OUT

The UN's General Assembly asked the ICJ in late 2022 to give an "advisory opinion" on the "legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem".

The ICJ held a week-long session in February to hear submissions from countries following the request -- supported by most countries within the Assembly.

During the hearings, most speakers called on Israel to end its 57-year occupation. They warned a prolonged occupation posed an "extreme danger" to stability in the Middle East and beyond.