Pakistan terms Israel policies as apartheid at UN court

Pakistan on Friday joined over 50 countries in advancing its argument in the historic proceedings being conducted by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague to rule on the illegal occupation of Palestinian territories by Israel.

The case was triggered by a request from the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on December 30, 2022, when a majority of members voted to seek the court’s opinion on the legal consequences of the continuing Israeli occupation of Palestine. Arab countries, Russia, and China voted in favour of the move, while Israel, the US, Germany, and 24 others voted against it.

The ruling would take several weeks and would not be binding, but many observers believe that if the ICJ declares the occupation illegal, that would certainly put pressure on Tel Aviv.

The proceedings kicked off on February 19 and would continue until February 26. As many as 52 countries have been presenting their arguments before the 15-member ICJ. Israel declined to give oral arguments, while the US and UK were the only countries so far that came out in open support for the Jewish state.

Read more: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2457385/pakistan-terms-israel-policies-as-apartheid-at-un-court