Turkey to present statement at court in 'Israel' case

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will hear oral statements from 52 states, including Turkey, and 3 international organizations during its advisory opinion hearings on the legal consequences of Israel's practices in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The ICJ has announced the schedule for oral presentations regarding the advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's practices in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

Accordingly, 52 states, including Turkey, as well as the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the African Union, will each deliver thirty-minute oral presentations between February 19 and 26.

Oral statements will begin on February 19 at 12:15 PM (Turkey time) with a presentation by Palestine, and the hearings will conclude on February 26 at 4:00 PM (Turkey time) with the final statement by the Maldives.

Turkey's oral statement regarding the legal consequences of Israel's practices in the occupied Palestinian territories will be delivered on Monday, February 26, between 12:00 PM and 12:30 PM (Turkey time).

ADVISORY OPINIONS ARE NOT BINDING

The Court's primary functions include resolving legal disputes between states in accordance with international law and providing advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it.

In this matter, at the request of the UN General Assembly, the ICJ will provide a non-binding advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The hearings, which will be held in public at the Peace Palace in The Hague, will be broadcast live by the International Court of Justice.

While it is noted that this is the first time such a large number of states have submitted written and oral statements for an advisory opinion before the Court, it was observed that Israel, which submitted a written statement, is not participating in the oral hearings.

DIFFERENT FROM THE CASE WHERE ISRAEL IS TRIED FOR GENOCIDE

The advisory opinion, for which the ICJ will hear oral statements from 52 states and 3 international institutions between February 19 and 26, is not a contentious case between two states, unlike the case brought by South Africa against Israel for violations of the Genocide Convention; it solely concerns the Court's non-binding legal opinion on the legal responsibility of Israel's occupation of Palestine.

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY HAD REQUESTED AN OPINION

In its resolution dated December 30, 2022, the UN General Assembly Special Political and Decolonization Committee requested the International Court of Justice to provide an opinion on the legal consequences arising from the denial of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination as a result of Israel's activities since the 1967 war.

In the first question addressed to the Court, the UN General Assembly asked: "What are the legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, from its prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures?"

The second question for which an advisory opinion was requested from the ICJ was phrased as: "How do the policies and practices of Israel referred to in the preceding paragraph affect the legal status of the occupation, and what are the legal consequences that arise for all states and the United Nations from this status?"

Countries, including Turkey, and international institutions had previously submitted written statements to the Court containing their positions on the questions for which the advisory opinion is sought.

The ICJ, headquartered in The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands, can hear contentious cases between multiple states as well as provide non-binding advisory opinions on questions asked by UN organs and other specialized agencies.

In a 2004 advisory opinion, the International Court of Justice stated that the wall Israel built in the occupied Palestinian territories violated international law.