On Monday, 19 February 2024, the ICJ commences public hearings in proceedings relating to a request for an advisory opinion made by the UN General Assembly on the legal status and consequences of the Israeli presence in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and in Jerusalem.
In that context, the International Association of Jewish Lawyers and Jurists (IJL) submitted on the 16 February 2024 a legal statement to the Court, highlighting legal and factual fallacies underlying the General Assembly’s request.
The IJL argues that the ICJ should exercise caution before circumventing principles of international law, and risk undermining the international and bilateral framework for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and the prospect of a negotiated solution and intends for its legal arguments to assist the Court in reaching its decision. Its statement addresses core issues concerning the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including on on the existing international bilateral framework applicable to the situation, the law of occupation and self-defence.
The IJL instructed 9BR’s Dov Jacobs (also co-founder of SILC) and Joshua Kern as counsel, together with Dr Roy Schondorf, and together they co-authored the statement with Daniel Reisner, Deputy President of the IJL.
The full statement can be found here.