Palestine: International law obliges Israel to end occupation, human rights council says
It details the obligations on Israel, third-party states and the United Nations to end the illegal occupation, according to the United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry into the Palestinian Territories occupation, including East Jerusalem and Israel.
“Israel’s internationally wrongful actions give rise to State responsibility, not only towards Israel but towards all nations,” UN President Navi Pillay said. Human Rights Council– mandatory commission.
“All states have an obligation not to recognize Israel’s territorial claims or sovereignty over the occupied territories.”
Read the committee’s full opinion This.
Countries are not provided with assistance
Explaining the committee’s paper, Ms. Pillay said that countries must demonstrate how their treatment of Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories differs.
For example, she noted that a State may not recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel or place its diplomatic representation in Israel in Jerusalem, which the Palestinians claim as the capital of their future State.
In addition, countries may not provide aid or support to maintain illegal occupation, including financial, military and political aid or support, the committee chair said.
How the United Nations can take action
The article also details how the General Assembly and the Security Council be able to identify and take the precise actions needed to terminate the occupation as quickly as possible.
The Commission finds that the advisory opinion of International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences arising from Israel’s policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, is authoritative and unequivocal in declaring that Israel’s continued presence in The occupied Palestinian territory is illegal.
“The Commission has always stated that the root cause of protracted conflict and cycles of violence is occupation,” Ms. Pillay said, noting that the Commission’s 2022 report to the General Assembly concluded argued that the occupation was illegal under international law.
“The Commission welcomes the historic advisory opinion from the highest court in the United Nations system,” she said.
Work to end your career
“All nations have an obligation to cooperate to end the illegal occupation and work towards the full realization of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination,” Ms. Pillay said, calling for calls on all countries to implement the General Assembly resolution adopted on 13 September 2024.
September 17, General Assembly passed a resolution during the 10th special emergency session calling for an end to Israel’s occupation of the Occupied Palestinian Territories within one year.
Read our explanation of the United Nations’ emergency special sessions This.
The United Nations Human Rights Council in May 2021 authorized the commission “to investigate, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and in Israel, all alleged violations of international humanitarian law as well as all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law leading up to and since 13 April 2021.”
Learn more about commissions This.
