The International Court of Justice began hearing oral arguments on Monday over the Israeli occupation of territory claimed by Palestinians.
Representatives from 52 countries will participate in a six-day hearing at The Hague, Netherlands, to adjudicate the decades-old debate under the cloud of a contentious war in the region.
The case comes from a request by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2022 for the court to give an advisory opinion on the matter.
The 15-judge panel will consider “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.”
Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Riyad al Maliki told the court on Monday that the Palestinian people in the disputed territories are “subjected to colonization of their territory and racist violence that enables it.”
Israel’s representatives were not scheduled to speak on Monday, but a five-page letter outlining Israel’s argument was sent to the court in July and published after the public hearing.
The letter said that questions put to the court “fail to recognize Israel’s right and duty to protect its citizens.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a press statement on Monday that his country does not recognize the legitimacy of the hearings.
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“The discussion at The Hague is part of the Palestinian attempt to dictate the results of the political agreement without negotiations,” he said.
The court’s opinion is only advisory, not binding, and will likely take months to be announced.
