February 19-26
International Court of Justice

52 Countries Participate in Hearings on Israeli Occupation of Palestine

Livestream Hearings Here

On February 19, oral hearings begin at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestine. This is a separate case from the one brought against Israel by South Africa at the ICJ under the Genocide Convention. These hearings arise from Resolution 77/27 adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 30, 2022, requesting an advisory opinion on the “Legal Consequences Arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Including East Jerusalem.” In other words, the ICJ is to rule on Israel’s responsibilities under international law arising from its occupation of Palestine.

Fifty-two countries will address the court, the most ever in any case before the ICJ, each delivering a 30-minute oral presentation. Three international organizations – the Arab League, Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union, representing 49 different countries – will also address the court. The hearings will run for a total of six days, from February 19 to 23 and end on February 26.

The majority of countries taking part are from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, whose peoples and governments are among those standing with the Palestinian people in Gaza during Israel’s current wave of genocidal crimes. However, also participating are ardent supporters and accomplices of Israel and its genocide, such as the U.S., UK and Canada.

The hearings will be streamed live and on demand in French and English, the two official languages of the ICJ on the court’s website and on UN Web TV.

For the full list of 52 countries taking part in the hearings and schedule of presentations, click here.

To read UN General Assembly Resolution 77/247, click here.

The UN explains that “In general, advisory opinions are not binding, but may inform the development of international law. According to the ICJ website, advisory opinions: ‘carry great legal weight and moral authority. They are often an instrument of preventive diplomacy and have peace-keeping virtues. Advisory opinions also, in their way, contribute to the elucidation and development of international law and thereby to the strengthening of peaceful relations between States.'”

Despite the significance of these hearings, as ever, answering the question of how to stop Israel and its occupation and genocide carried out against the Palestinian people is not a juridical matter. It is up to the resistance movement of the Palestinian people and of the peoples of the world using their voice and mobilizing more and more people to take a stand, holding their governments and Israel to account, which will resolve this matter in favour of the heroic Palestinian people.