Human Rights Watch welcomed the ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Israel on Friday. The ruling declared that Israel is responsible for apartheid in occupied Palestine.
According to the agency, the “historic” ruling marks a critical juncture in the legal battle over human rights in Palestine.
Tirana Hassan, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch, said that the ICJ ruling marks the first time Israel has been held accountable for apartheid.
“This ruling should serve as a wake-up call for the United States and other nations to reassess their support for Israel’s oppressive policies against Palestinians,” Hassan stated in response to the ICJ’s verdict.
The US has long supported Israel despite numerous reports suggesting that Israel’s actions in Gaza are in direct violation of international law. In February, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights published a report calling on the international community to hold Israel accountable.
The UN agency maintained that it has witnessed an “escalation of the use of lethal force in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.”
Meanwhile, the advisory opinion from the UN’s highest court earlier today described Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories as “unlawful,” calling on Israel to dismantle its settlements immediately in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
In addition, the court cited a list of violations Israel has committed in Palestinian territories, including settlement expansion, exploitation of natural resources, and systematic discrimination against Palestinians.
Despite being non-binding from a legal point of view, experts note that the ruling has the potential to influence the international community’s perception of the conflict.