On Friday, July 19, the United Nations’ International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israeli’s settlement camps in Palestine territories are illegal under international law along with the Netanyahu regime that maintains the practice.
“Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and the regime associated with them, have been established and are being maintained in violation of international law.”
Nawaf Salam, president of the ICJ, explained that the sixth paragraph of Article 49 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, says that occupying power should not deport or transfer part of its civilian population into the territory that it occupies.
The American Peace Information Center applauds this first step by the UN. However, APIC understands that because this ruling is a non-binding opinion, there are no legal repercussions for the continued genocide and displacement of Arab people living in Palestine. The people still being bombed in Palestine do not benefit from “pretty please, with a cherry on top.”
In May, the same court ruled that Israel’s operation in Rafah was illegal and must come to a halt. Netanyahu has made it clear that he doesn’t care as his regime continues bombing Rafah. The ruling has had no effect on President Biden or the US State Department as they continue their policy of full support for Israel to protect the interests of the American ruling class.
People living in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria need more from the UN than kindly asking Netanyahu to stop. UN forces must intervene to bring peace, clear the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, bring justice to Netanyahu and his regime for their war crimes, and establish a non-Zionist, democratic political system as outlined in the Beijing Declaration.
