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The Hague -

In historic hearings, Palestine presented its case against Israel's occupation of its lands at the Peace Palace in The Hague, seat of the International Court of Justice. Lawyers and representatives of Palestine explained the extent to which their people were systematically deprived of their right to life, calling for the necessity of putting an immediate end to the occupation.

During public hearings, the court's 15 judges consider "the legal consequences arising from Israel's continued violation of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, and from its prolonged occupation, settlement, and annexation of their lands since 1967."

52 countries, including the United States, Russia, China, and 3 international organizations, are participating in the proceedings from February 19 to 26 to present memorandums and arguments on this issue. It is not decided that Israel will be satisfied with submitting only a written memorandum.

52 countries and 3 international organizations participate in the pleadings at the International Court of Justice (Al Jazeera)

Important authority

The threads of the case began in December 2022 when the United Nations General Assembly requested the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion on the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. A previous opinion of the Court also concluded that the route of the Israeli separation wall violated international law in July 2004.

The hearings opened yesterday, Monday, with statements by Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki, who said that “successive Israeli governments have only given the Palestinian people three options: displacement, oppression, or death.”

Al-Maliki called for an end to the "double standards" in dealing with the Palestinian issue, and urged international justice to recognize the Palestinians' right to self-determination, stressing that "the right to self-determination is not subject to statute of limitations and is not negotiable, and the Israeli occupation must end without conditions."

The Foreign Minister added - during a press conference in front of the Peace Palace - that “the future of the existence of the Palestinian people is at stake, as they suffer from the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza, which is being carried out with shocking force and cruelty,” pointing out that “the international community must bear its responsibilities and not allow... "For Israel to continue its occupation and its illegal plans."

Although the ruling, which is expected to be issued before the end of this year, is not binding, the advisory opinion issued by the court will carry a very important legal and moral authority, as it could become part of customary international law, which in many countries is considered a source of domestic law, and the ruling can be issued based on it. In national courts or cited.

Demonstrators in front of the International Justice headquarters in The Hague in solidarity with Palestine and Gaza (Al Jazeera)

to fail

Dozens of demonstrators gathered in front of the outer square of the Peace Palace in The Hague to express their solidarity with the people of the Gaza Strip and demand an end to the occupation, chanting the phrases “Freedom for Palestine” and “Israel is a criminal.”

Meanwhile, a car passed by with the Israeli flag attached to it before one of the demonstrators snatched it, and others helped him tear it down and burn it. Only a few minutes later, members of the Dutch police arrested the young man.

In the face of these voices protesting the blatant double standards and the silence of the international community regarding the Israeli atrocities in Gaza, the head of the Palestinian community in the Netherlands, Omar Al-Sada, believes that “the investment project supported by the United States and some European countries in the Middle East, to protect their economic, security and political interests, has now proven its failure.” ".

He added in statements to Al Jazeera Net, "We say to the supporters of the Nazi occupation that it is time for them to rearrange their cards, because the peoples of the world have begun to be encouraged to demand the achievement of legitimate and legal justice, especially after South Africa took the first step on the path to freedom."

In this context, Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard said, “The Israeli occupation is considered the longest and most deadly military occupation in the world, and has included decades of systematic human rights violations, as well as the consolidation of the apartheid regime against the Palestinian people.”

Callamard considered - in her speech to Al Jazeera Net - that the current aggression against Gaza has shed more light on the consequences resulting from allowing the crimes of the occupation in the Palestinian territories and impunity, stressing that “the world must be aware that ending this illegal occupation is a basic condition for stopping the violations that We see it every day."

Positive expectations

Member of the Malaysian delegation, Mohamed Hisham Marzouki, described the opening session - yesterday, Monday - as a “historic step” that will have great weight in pressuring the occupying state.

He said in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera Net, "The International Justice Department's decision will make the Israeli government reconsider what it is committing on the Palestinian territories, which will contribute to the return of the land's owners to their homeland."

Marzouki believes that this week's hearings are an extension of the case that South Africa filed against Israel, and fit into the context of its request a few days ago to the main judicial body of the United Nations to look into the declared threats and the unprecedented military attack committed by the occupation army in the city of Rafah.

For his part, Omar Al-Sada believes that the change in fate that has been awaited for decades will not necessarily come from the Security Council because the United Kingdom and Washington have the possibility of using their veto power against all decisions that are not in the interest of their allies Israel, hoping that geopolitical change in the region will come from International courts.

The arguments of the second day of hearings continue as representatives from South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Netherlands, Canada, Brazil, Belgium and Bangladesh present their observations and arguments regarding this issue.

Source: Al Jazeera