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“We have made clear that the Israeli government’s support for settlements violates international law and impedes peace,” a State Department spokesperson said in an email.
“However, we are concerned that reaching the court’s opinion will complicate efforts to resolve the conflict,” he added.
The International Court of Justice declared on Friday that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements is illegal and must be ended as soon as possible, issuing its harshest stance yet on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The US State Department believes that the International Court of Justice’s position that Israel must withdraw from Palestinian territory as soon as possible “goes against the established model for resolving the conflict.”
Washington stressed that the model takes into account Israel’s security needs, which were highlighted after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, and added that progress could be achieved through direct negotiations.
Israel rejected the court’s opinion, saying the only way to a political solution is through negotiations. The office of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas welcomed the view, calling it historic.
The International Court of Justice has declared in a non-binding advisory opinion that Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is illegal and should end “as soon as possible”.
“The establishment and maintenance of the Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and the regime associated with them are in violation of international law,” President Nawaf Salam said of the conclusions of the Security Council, which consists of 15 judges.
The opinion also states that Israel must compensate Palestinians for the damage caused by the occupation of Palestinian territories, and that the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly and all UN member states have an obligation not to recognize the legality of the occupation and not to support its continuation.
The case stems from a 2022 UN General Assembly request that preceded the current conflict between Israel and Hamas.
The UN General Assembly asked the court to assess the legal consequences of Israel’s “prolonged occupation, settlement process and annexation” of the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, and the related policies of the Israeli government.
In the 1967 war, Israel occupied the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, historically Palestinian areas that Palestinians want to make an integral part of their state. Since 1967, Israel has continued to build and expand settlements in the West Bank.
Israeli leaders claim that these areas are not legally occupied because they are in disputed areas, but the United Nations and most of the international community consider them to be Israeli-occupied territories.
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