The World Court Takes on Isreal 57-Year Occupation of Palestine

Next week, over 50 countries will participate in hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) examining the legal consequences of Israel’s 57-year occupation of Palestine. This landmark case follows the Court’s seismic ruling last month that Israel is “plausibly” committing genocide in Gaza.

For nearly six decades, Israel has occupied the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Gaza Strip, Golan Heights and at times the Sinai Peninsula following its conquests in the 1967 war. Despite removing troops and settlers from Gaza over 20 years ago, the UN contends Israel still occupies Gaza by controlling its airspace, waters and the flow of people and goods.

Human rights groups are urging participating countries to use these hearings to spotlight Israel’s horrific abuses of Palestinians living under occupation, including crimes against humanity like apartheid and persecution.

The Current Crisis in Gaza

Israel’s recent assault on Gaza has been marked by likely war crimes and crimes against humanity. Since October alone, Israeli forces have killed over 100,000 Palestinians in Gaza, displaced 90% of the population, and left the strip on the brink of a deadly ground invasion.

Israeli leaders have disturbingly called for reoccupying and ethnic cleansing Gaza amid the ongoing attacks. Meanwhile in the occupied West Bank, at least 388 Palestinians including 99 children have lost their lives.

For years, Israeli settlers have steadily colonized Palestinian lands with the protection of the Israeli military. Palestinians whose homes and lands are stolen face violent ethnic cleansing.

South Africa’s Genocide Case Against Israel

These World Court hearings follow South Africa’s case accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza – the first nation to present next week. Last month, the ICJ made the groundbreaking ruling that Israel is “plausibly” committing genocide and must adhere to all its duties under the Genocide Convention.

South Africa urgently appealed to the ICJ earlier this week to act as Israel threatens a deadly ground offensive on Gaza’s crammed refugee camps. While the Court declined additional action for now, it reiterated the “perilous situation” demands immediate implementation of provisional measures to protect Palestinian lives.

The prolonged Israeli occupation has brought untold suffering upon generations of Palestinians through displacements, mass killings, and likely genocide. These imminent international legal proceedings give hope that justice may finally be on the horizon.