Russia tells ICJ Israel must stop all settlement activities, US differs
The International Court of Justice is holding a week of hearings after a request from the United Nations, with an unprecedented 52 countries giving their views on Israel's occupation
Russia at the ICJ hearing on 21 February called for legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestine, telling the court "Israel has a duty to put an end to current violations," while the United States opposed saying Israel should not be legally forced to withdraw from occupied Palestinian territory without security guarantees.
"Stop all settlement activities in the occupied territory. The court would be right to conclude that Israel has a duty to put an end to its current violations and provide reparations," said Vladimir Tarabrin, Russia's ambassador to the Netherlands.
"Images from Gaza are terrifying. Indiscriminate air strikes are killing civilians and erasing whole residential districts … Up to 90% of Gazans have been forced to leave their homes and they are living in inhumane conditions," he said in his statement.
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However, the US differs as Richard Visek, legal advisor at the US State Department said, "The court should not find that Israel is legally obligated to immediately and unconditionally withdraw from occupied territory."
"Any movement towards Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza requires consideration of Israel's very real security needs," he argued.
Vladimir Tarabrin also expressed condolences for the Israeli victims of the 7 October attack but stressed that such tragedies should not justify "collective punishment" against Gazans.
"Russia of all countries understands the danger of terrorism. We have faced this evil time and again. Let me use this opportunity to reiterate our heartfelt condolences to the Israelis who lost their loved ones in the attack on the 7th of October," the Russian ambassador said.
"We are convinced the tragic events of the 7th of October cannot justify the collective punishment of more than two million Gazans," he added.
He expressed his disapproval of the rationale presented by Israeli and some Western officials who justify indiscriminate violence against civilians by invoking Israel's duty to protect its nationals.
Tarabrin said, "Violence can only lead to more violence. Hatred brings hatred. This vicious circle must be broken."
The International Court of Justice is holding a week of hearings after a request from the United Nations, with an unprecedented 52 countries giving their views on Israel's occupation.
Most speakers have demanded that Israel end its occupation, which came after a six-day Arab-Israeli war in 1967.
China and Iran will be the first of 12 countries to speak at the ICJ hearings on Israel's occupation of Palestine today (22 February).
The other countries scheduled to speak as the hearings continue for a fourth day are Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Luxembourg, Malaysia, and Mauritius.
