ICJ's landmark ruling declares Israeli occupation of Palestine illegal

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday ruled that the occupied Palestinian territories constitute a "single territorial unity," which will be protected and respected.

Stressing that The Hague regulations have become part of customary international law, and are thus binding on Israel, the court said, “Protection offered by the Human Rights Convention does not cease in case of armed conflict or occupation.”

In reference to Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories, the court noted that Israel's “exploitation of natural resources” in occupied Palestinian territory is "inconsistent with its obligation” to respect Palestinians' right to sovereignty.

More particularly on the forcible evictions in Eastern Jerusalem and West Bank, the court stressed that Israel's policies and practices violate the 4th Geneva Convention's prohibition on forcible transfer of protected populations.

“Israel's settlement policy is in breach of the 4th Geneva Convention,” it said.

The court said Israel's policies and practices amount to the annexation of large parts of occupied Palestinian territory, and that it is "not convinced" that extending Israeli law to the West Bank and East Jerusalem is justified.

ICJ also maintained that Israel has been able to exercise key authority over Gaza despite the withdrawal of its military presence in 2005.

'Israel must end the occupation'

Israel's decades-long occupation of the Palestinian territories is illegal and needs to end "as rapidly as possible", the UN's top court said Friday.

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

"The Court has found that Israel's... continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal," Salam said.

ICJ ordered Israel to pay “full reparations”, restitution and compensation to all Palestinians for all “wrongful acts” under the occupation since 1967.

Palestine hails ICJ ruling

Palestinian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Varsen Aghabekian Shahin hailed "a great day for Palestine" after the UN's top court ruled Israel's decades-long occupation illegal.

"This is a great day for Palestine, historically and legally," she told AFP, speaking on behalf of the Palestinian foreign ministry.

"This is the highest judicial body in the world and it has presented a very detailed analysis of what is going on through Israel's prolonged occupation and colonisation of the Palestinian territory in violation of international law."