Why it matters:
This high-profile legal confrontation puts the Israeli regime's conduct under international scrutiny at a time when its genocidal campaign in Gaza has triggered unprecedented global outrage. The proceedings could reshape how international law views the Israeli regime’s decades-long occupation and its impact on Palestinian civilians.
What they’re saying:
Ambassador Riyad Mansour, Permanent Observer of Palestine to the UN:
"Israel annexes our land. It kills, dispossesses, and displaces to destroy our people… Kill and displace. Destroy to replace. Get rid of Palestinian demography to seize Palestinian geography."
He described the Israeli regime’s policies—from the Gaza blockade to nearly 1,000 military checkpoints in the West Bank—as “illegal, inhumane,” and designed to fragment Palestinian life and sovereignty.
Blinne Ní Ghrálaigh KC, Counsel for the State of Palestine:
“The Israeli regime’s actions are not just murderous and inhumane, they are genocidal acts … as is the near consensus view across the human rights community.”
Prof. Alain Pellet, Legal Counsel for Palestine:
“Israel’s inhuman and truly monstrous behavior… consists of a multitude of internationally illegal acts that trigger aggravated state responsibility.”
Mr. Ardi Imseis, Counsel for Palestine:
“Eliminating UNRWA is essential to the success of Israel’s plans… UNRWA is the last hope the Palestinian people have of surviving Israel’s genocide.”
The big picture:
The ICJ’s hearings follow mounting legal and political pressure on the Israeli regime amid its ongoing genocide in Gaza. As death tolls rise and infrastructure collapses under sustained bombardment, critics say the regime is not just targeting resistance groups but dismantling the viability of Palestinian life itself.
Go deeper:
The ICJ is expected to deliver a non-binding advisory opinion, but its ruling will carry significant moral and diplomatic weight. It may intensify calls for accountability, influence international policymaking, and increase the pressure on governments currently supporting or supplying arms to the Israeli regime.
Mojtaba Darabi
