Palestinians Foreign Affairs Minister, Al Maliki says the International Court of Justice (ICJ) must declare Israel’s occupation as illegal and it must end. He says apartheid is imposed on the Palestinian people. The ICJ has started hearings into the legality of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
Palestine has started with its oral argument and South Africa will present tomorrow and other vocal countries on the issue. Maliki says 2.3 million Palestinians in Gaza, half of them are children, are besieged and bombed, killed and maimed, starved and displaced.
“At this very moment, it is indiscriminate maiming and killing of Palestinians. It means you can spend the entirety of your life as a refuge; denied your dignity, (and) your right to return home. It means your life and family, your community and your home are under constant threat,” says Maliki.
Professor of law Andreas Zimmerman has, on behalf of Palestine, told the International Court of Justice that there are no compelling reasons for the court to decline to issue the requested opinion of declaring Israel’s occupation of Palestine unlawful.
Zimmerman also says the court has jurisdiction to present the requested opinion. The ICJ is hearing the legality of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.
“Compelling positive reasons exist for the court to address the legal question referred to it as the court legal determination will assist all parties as the legal parameters that must be adhered to. The court’s determinations are both urgent and relevant, given Israel’s many violations preempt norms of international law which continue and intensify on a daily basis,” Zimmerman elaborates further.
