THE HAGUE – On Monday, Palestinian
Foreign Minister Riyad Al-Maliki addressed the
International Court of Justice (ICJ) in its first public session regarding the legal consequences arising from
Israel’s policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territory,
including East Jerusalem.
اضافة اعلان
These hearings come in response to
the UN General Assembly’s request for an advisory opinion on the ongoing
Israeli occupation, which has persisted for more than 57 years. The hearings
will continue for six days, from February 19 to 26, Al-Mamlaka TV reported.
Maliki asserted that it is time to
end the double standards in dealing with the Palestinian issue. He called upon
the ICJ to
support the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.
Maliki emphasized that, for over a
century, the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination has been denied.
In his words, this right does not expire, and it is non-negotiable; the Israeli
occupation must end.
He further highlighted the
genocidal impact on the Palestinian people due to decades of impunity granted
to Israel. Maliki urged an end to Israel’s practices and the triumph of
international law.
He also stressed the necessity of
supporting the path to peace that will achieve justice for the Palestinian
people. Israel has left them with only three options: displacement,
imprisonment, or death.
“I stand before you on behalf of
the
State of Palestine and its people in this historic moment. Representing 2.3
million Palestinians in Gaza, most of whom suffer under bombardment by children
who are starving and displaced. Representing 3.5 million in the West Bank,
including Jerusalem, enduring occupation and racism. And representing nearly
1.7 million Palestinians in the ‘48 territories living in Israel, treated as
second-class citizens. Their lands and their ancestors’ lands continue to be
stolen,” he stated.
Maliki added that the Palestinian
people have been deprived of their rights, including the right of return and
the right to determine their destiny. He added that Palestine is not a land
without a people; it has social, cultural, economic, and religious life.
Schools, universities, villages, families, and cinemas all shaped their
existence, influenced by promises made far away, hundreds of thousands of miles
from them. The indigenous population, non-Jews, have been denied their humanity
and subjected to attempts at dehumanization and displacement.
Maliki emphasized that the UN
Charter recognizes the right of peoples to self-determination, which has been
compromised due to colonization and apartheid.
He emphasized the suffering that
the Palestinian people have endured over many generations, including their
expulsion from their land. Notably, during the Nakba in 1948, 900,000
Palestinians were displaced, and an additional 400,000 in 1967 during the Naksa.
These injustices persist, accompanied by killings, denial of dignity, and
violations of the right to live in safety and stability. Palestinians face
imprisonment, abduction, and perpetual incarceration, along with land theft.
The genocidal impact in Gaza,
Israel’s destruction, and the deaths of thousands, mostly children, are
consequences of Israel’s actions. Maliki called for accountability and
adherence to international law.
The ICJ recently granted
provisional measures following South Africa’s lawsuit against Israel for
committing genocide crimes. Despite this, Israel continues its violations of
Palestinian territory for colonial purposes, a malicious breach of international
law. Maliki affirmed that the solution lies in immediate compliance with
international law and ending the unlawful occupation.
During his speech, Maliki
presented maps illustrating Israel’s encroachment on Palestinian lands since
the Nakba, through the setback of 1967, up to 2020. He highlighted Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s maps presented at the UN General Assembly, revealing
Israel’s intentions at the expense of the Palestinian people. The absence of
justice and the violation of fundamental principles of international law
underscore the urgency of recognizing the right to self-determination.
Palestine remains committed to the
rights of our people to establish an independent state within the 1967 borders,
with East Jerusalem as its capital. This commitment is based on UN Security
Council resolutions and international legitimacy, aiming for a permanent
solution of two democratic states living side by side in security and
stability.
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