Two historical events regarding the Israeli occupation of Palestine have taken place on July 19 and September 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first was a most comprehensive \u2018advisory opinion<\/a>\u2019 by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which reiterated that the Israeli occupation of Palestine is illegal and must come to an immediate end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second<\/a>, by the United Nations General Assembly, two months later, set, for the first time in history, an exact time frame of when the Israeli occupation of Palestine must end. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Many Palestinians welcomed the international consensus that essentially declared, as null and void, any Israeli attempt at making what is meant to be a temporary military occupation a permanent one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, many understandably were not impressed, simply because the international community has proven ineffectual in bringing the catastrophic Israeli war on Gaza to an end, or in enforcing its previous resolutions on the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Israeli media largely ignored both events, while mainstream western media repeatedly emphasized<\/a> that both the advisory opinion and the resolution are \u2018non-binding\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Though it is true that international law without enforcement is largely useless, one must not be rash to conclude that the latest actions by the ICJ and the UNGA deserve no pause. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To appreciate the importance of both dates, we must place them within proper context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, the ICJ\u2019s legal opinion. Unlike the ICJ\u2019s advisory opinion of 2004<\/a>, the latest opinion does not focus on a specific issue, for example, the illegality of the Israeli so-called Separation Wall in the West Bank. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, the latest decision by the world\u2019s highest Court was the outcome of a specific request<\/a> by the UNGA on January 20, 2023 to opine \u201con Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Second, the ICJ reached its conclusions after listening to the testimonies<\/a> of representatives of 52 countries and three international organizations, which fully sided with the Palestinians in their historic quest for freedom, justice and respect for international law. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Third, the ICJ\u2019s opinion touched on numerous issues, leaving no space for any misinterpretation on the part of Israel and the United States. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, it called<\/a> on Israel to end its \u201cunlawful presence\u201d in occupied Palestine, and for it to \u201cwithdraw its military forces; halt the expansion of settlements and evacuate all settlers from occupied land; and demolish parts of a separation wall constructed inside the occupied West Bank.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fourth, the ICJ\u2019s opinion follows years of supposed Israeli achievements in marginalizing the Palestinian cause, and exacting American support<\/a>, which effectively recognized Israeli sovereignty over occupied Palestinian and Arab land.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the ICJ pressed the reset button on the illegality of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, the UNGA pressed the political button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Indeed, UN Resolution<\/a> A\/ES-10\/L.31\/Rev.1 on September 18 has ended any Israeli illusions that it will be able, through pressure, threats or the passage of time, to end the conversation on its military occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The resolution<\/a> \u201ccalls for Israel to comply with international law and withdraw its military forces, immediately cease all new settlement activity, evacuate all settlers from occupied land, and dismantle parts of the separation wall it constructed inside the occupied West Bank.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n