Two Years On: Persistent Defiance of International Law in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

Two years after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) issued its Advisory Opinion on July 19, 2024, regarding the legal consequences of Israel's policies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (oPt), the findings remain unheeded. The ICJ concluded that Israel's presence in the oPt is unlawful and must end, requiring the cessation of settlement activities, evacuation of settlers, and reparations for damages. The Court also stipulated that third states must not recognize the unlawful situation or provide assistance in maintaining it.

• Despite the ICJ's opinion, Israel has continued to approve new settlements and expand existing ones, including resuming land registration in East Jerusalem and Area C.
• The policies identified by the Court—prolonged occupation, settlement expansion, annexation, displacement, and discriminatory measures—continue to shape the daily lives of Palestinians.
• The article asserts that Israel's continued presence in Gaza is also unlawful, applying the ICJ's finding that Israel must end its presence in the oPt as rapidly as possible to the Gaza Strip.
• The General Assembly's demand in September 2024 for Israel to end its unlawful presence within 12 months has passed, leading to devastating consequences for Palestinians and undermining the international legal order.