Israel/OPT: statement to the UN concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory
The ICJ made an oral statement to the UN Human Rights Council during the general debate on the situation of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The ICJ noted that, almost ten years after the International Court of Justice ruled the construction of the separation wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) to be unlawful, States and international organizations have failed to take effective measures to hold Israel accountable for violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law arising from the wall.
As the International Court of Justice held, States must not “recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall” and must not “render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by such construction.” Israel, for its part, must dismantle the wall and its associated regime and provide reparation to victims.
At the same time, Palestinian armed groups must renounce all direct or indiscriminate attacks on civilians and civilian objects. Israel must also cease its own violations of international humanitarian law.
The ICJ further addressed the human rights impacts of Israeli settlements in the occupied territory, and the need for the Security Council effectively to address the issue.
The full statement can be downloaded in PDF here: Advocacy-UN-HRC25-IsraelOPT-24032014