U.N. court to review Israeli occupation of Palestinian-claimed lands

The International Court of Justice in The Hague will begin hearings on Monday to discuss the legality of Israeli control over Judea and Samaria. The case arrived at the court after the UN General Assembly voted by a wide margin in December 2022 to ask the World Court for a non-binding advisory opinion on the dispute.

Upon the conclusion of the hearings, the court will issue an advisory opinion, which is not legally binding compared to the judgments of the same court. However, an adverse decision from the judges will weaken Israel's position on the international stage.

International law, which prohibits annexation, recognizes states' right to occupy territories, provided it is temporary.

Israel does not recognize the court's jurisdiction and is expected not to participate in the discussions. This situation differs from the ongoing investigation by the same court into allegations of genocide, where the jurisdiction is universal.