Egypt has joined the request for an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legality of Israel’s actions in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, according to the head of the State Information Service, Diaa Rashwan.
He said that Egypt submitted a memorandum to the ICJ and will make an oral argument on 21 February, asserting the court’s authority to issue the advisory opinion.
The request was made by the UN General Assembly, which has the power to seek the court’s advice under the UN charter, and concerns the legal implications of Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, which contravene international law and UN resolutions.
Rashwan stated that the Egyptian memorandum also denounced the Israeli occupation, which has lasted for over 75 years and violated international humanitarian law.
He added that the memorandum highlighted the Israeli policies of land annexation, home demolition, expulsion, deportation, and displacement of Palestinians, which breach the fundamental rules of public international law, such as the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and the prohibition of acquiring land by force.
Moreover, the memorandum rejected the Israeli policies of persecution, racial discrimination, and other practices, which flagrantly violate international humanitarian law and human rights law.
Rashwan said that the memorandum and the Egyptian plea urged the court to affirm Israel’s liability for these unlawful acts and to demand Israel’s immediate withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem.
The memorandum also called for the compensation of the Palestinian people for the harm caused by these unlawful policies and practices.
Egypt appealed to all countries and the international community to not recognize or support any legal effect of Israel’s measures, and to the UN and other international organizations to fulfil their responsibilities in this regard.
