International Court of Justice starts hearings on Israel’s control of the West Bank

The International Court of Justice begins hearings on the UN General Assembly’s request for an advisory opinion on “the legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, from its prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967.”

The Palestinian Authority, which lobbied for the UN General Assembly to request the advisory opinion, seeks a ruling by the court that Israel’s 56-year-long rule in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal.

Israel does not accept the court’s jurisdiction over these issues and has not sent a delegation to The Hague to provide counterarguments.

Since the proceedings stem from a UNGA request for an advisory opinion, any decision the ICJ issues will be non-binding and have little practical effect on the ground.