International reaction has poured in since last Friday’s ruling by the top United Nations court that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory is unlawful and should swiftly be brought to an end.
Palestinian officials have hailed the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling as a ‘watershed moment’ in their decades-long fight for justice.
Israel quickly condemned Friday’s decision, while its top ally the United States criticised the ruling on Saturday after initial silence.
While nonbinding, the advisory ruling by the 15 judges found that Israel has no right to sovereignty over the occupied territory, has violated international laws against acquiring territory by force, and is blocking Palestinians’ right to self-determination.
It further determined countries are obligated not to ‘render aid or assistance in maintaining’ Israel’s presence in the territory.
Here’s how the world has reacted:
Australia
The government of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it respects the ICJ’s ‘role in upholding international law and the rules-based order’.
‘We want to see concrete steps taken by Israel to cease the expansion of settlements to respond to extremist activity,’ the government said in a statement, adding that it was still ‘carefully considering the detail’ of the ruling.
Belgium
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib said in a social media post: ‘Belgium will always stand up for the respect of international law.’
Brazil
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ruling ‘reinforces the need for a two-state solution, with an independent and viable state of Palestine living side by side with Israel, in peace and security, within the 1967 borders, which include the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital’.
Bolivia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the United Nations and its member states to ‘take appropriate measures to stop the crimes being committed in the Gaza Strip and guarantee Palestine’s right to self-determination’.
Bolivia cut ties with Israel in the early days of the war and later became the first Latin American country to back a separate genocide case brought against Israel by South Africa at the ICJ.
Egypt
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Israel to end the occupation promptly, halt any new settlement activities and evacuate all existing settlements.
The ministry also urged international parties ‘to respect and implement the ICJ’s advisory opinion, assist the Palestinian people in exercising their right to self-determination and work to end the humanitarian suffering they endure.’
Iceland
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ICJ ruling is ‘clear’. ‘Continued Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is unlawful and so are its settlement activities. Iceland calls on Israel to cease all activity that violates international law,’ it said.
United States
The administration of President Joe Biden, which often stresses the ‘rules-based order’, criticised the ruling despite acknowledging that Israeli settlements are ‘inconsistent’ with international law.
‘We are concerned that the breadth of the court’s opinion will complicate efforts to resolve the conflict and bring about an urgently needed just and lasting peace with two states living side by side in peace and security,’ the US Department of State declared.
Indonesia
The Southeast Asian country said the ruling ‘addressed the aspiration of Indonesia and the rest of the international community in delivering justice for the Palestinians’.
‘Indonesia calls on the UN General Assembly and the Security Council to meet the request of the court by considering appropriate means and necessary steps to end Israel’s unlawful presence in Palestine,’ the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Ireland
Foreign Minister Michael Martin said he will work with partners in the European Union and UN ‘to see how we can now bring to bear this authoritative opinion by the court to end … Israel’s illegal presence’ in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Qatar
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the ICJ ruling ‘reflects the high provisions of international law that must be respected’.
It reiterated Qatar’s ‘firm position on the justice of the Palestinian cause and the moral imperative to support the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people.’
Jordan
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Sadadi said: ‘Israel’s impunity must end. Its war crimes must be stopped. Israel must be held accountable.’
Kuwait
The Gulf country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on the international community to carry out its ‘legal, political and moral duties to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent state and to stop the aggression against Gaza.’
Liechtenstein
The European principality’s mission to the UN said the ICJ ‘puts the rule of law at the centre of the settlement of international disputes.
‘We look forward to working with all States on the basis of the (ruling), in particular to ensure the full application of the right to self-determination,’ it said.
Malaysia
The Southeast Asian country hailed the ‘landmark ruling’.
‘Malaysia calls on all states to compel Israel to abide by the ruling of the ICJ and immediately end their support to Israel in continuing its illegal occupation of Palestine,’ it said.
Norway
Minister of Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide called the ICJ ruling ‘crystal clear’.
‘Israeli policies and practices are to be considered annexation of large parts of the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and are in violation of international law,’ he said.
Spain
Madrid said the ruling ‘includes important pronouncements … on the illegality of the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and on settlements, among other aspects.
‘The government urges the UN and the international community to take into consideration the conclusions of the report and to adopt appropriate measures in this regard.’
Slovenia
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Israel ‘to comply with its duties and obligations under international law’ as laid out in the ICJ’s opinion.
South Africa
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola said the ruling ‘affirms South Africa’s long-standing position that the occupation by Israel of Palestinian territory remains unlawful under international law.
‘There is now an additional legal obligation for all states to end complicity in Israel’s illegal actions and to act to ensure respect for international law,’ he said in a statement.
United Kingdom
The newly formed Labour government said it ‘respects the independence of the ICJ’ and is considering the ruling before making an official response.
The Foreign Office added the UK is ‘strongly opposed to the expansion of illegal settlements and rising settler violence.’
United Arab Emirates
The UAE, which established formal diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020, ‘welcomed’ the ruling.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it ‘rejects all measures aimed at altering the historical and legal status of the occupied Palestinian territory and all practices in contravention of resolutions on international legitimacy which threaten further escalation and instability in the region and impede endeavours to achieve peace and stability.’
Saudi Arabia
The kingdom welcomed the ruling while stressing the ‘need to take practical and credible steps to reach a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause’.
Turkey
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the international community ‘is obliged to take a firm and resolute stance to put an end to Israel’s illegal practices.’
- The Euro-Mediterranean Human Rights Monitor warned that the Israeli occupation army ‘is escalating its targeting of all aspects of life and fundamental elements of existence in the governorates of Gaza and the northern Gaza Strip, to turn them into an unlivable place to push their residents to forcibly migrate towards the southern governorates.’
The Euro-Med added in a statement on Saturday that ‘In the tenth month of its continuing crime of genocide, the Israeli occupation army is intensifying its attacks with mass killings, starvation, deprivation of medical care, intimidation, arbitrary arrests, torture, and forced evacuations.
‘Israeli airstrikes against the Gaza Strip have expanded to target ever more basic aspects of daily life. These include direct targeting of vendors at their stands, Internet distribution centres, and areas where people gather, including where women fill water containers or prepare food, in addition to the ongoing targeting of homes and shelter centres.
‘Blocking any attempt to restore even the barest necessities of life in Gaza City and North Gaza governorates, the Israeli army appears to aim to force residents to comply with the orders it continues to issue to evacuate all inhabitants of the two governorates.
‘The IOF sent voice messages to residents of these two governorates, requesting that they evacuate to the south of the Gaza Valley amid the ongoing airstrikes and artillery shelling.’
The Euro-Med added that it had received testimonies that ‘the Israeli army tracks individuals moving through the designated passageways on Salah al-Din Road and Al-Rashid Street in Gaza City using electronic monitoring equipment.’
The Human Rights Monitor stressed that ‘Residents are being directed to relocate to the central Gaza Strip by the Israeli army, which last week intensified aerial bombardment of the area and launched dozens of raids that resulted in the deaths of over 160 people, most of them women and children.’
They stated: ‘Israel plans to exterminate the Gaza Strip’s population by starvation and murder, as well as the destruction of all fundamental elements of existence, including attacking the UN headquarters and its shelters and carrying out mass killings there, all of which are unquestionably international crimes.’