Egypt’s submitting a verbal argument to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the latest addition to our country’s record in championing Palestinian cause.
This is not the first time Egypt has approached the ICJ.
Taba, South Sinai, was restored to Egypt in 1988 after we went to the ICJ and debunked the lies of the Israeli occupation.
The verbal argument forms part of an advisory opinion requested by the UN General Assembly from the ICJ regarding the Israeli policies and practices in the occupied Palestinian territories that are in violation of international law.
Affirming its consistent support of the Palestinians, Egypt not only shared in the advisory opinion to give evidence of the legal consequences of Israel’s 75-year-long occupation of Palestinian lands, but also submitted two written memoranda to the ICJ calling for ending Israeli occupation and compensating the Palestinians for damage incurred.
Coming amid mounting international legal pressure on Israel over its war on Gaza, in which100,000 Palestinians have lost their lives, these memoranda will influence the advisory opinion, since Egypt is the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel.
Also, Egypt’s verbal argument constitutes pressure to assert the illegality of the Israeli presence in the West Bank, push forward the recognition of the Palestinian state by the US and Britian, and mobilise positive advisory opinions in the interest of the Palestinians.
The ICJ hearing came a few weeks after a high-profile case brought by South Africa before the ICJ accusing Israel of committing genocidal acts during the current Gaza offensive. Despite being a non-binding advisory resolution, a ruling in favour of the Palestinians could well damage the image of Israel internationally and reduce Western support for it.
State Information Service (SIS) chief Diaa Rashwan said that Egypt adheres to a comprehensive vision in tackling the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This vision encompasses ending the Israeli occupation, reviving the peace process, adopting the two-state solution, and establishing an independent Palestinian state with its East Jerusalem as its capital, in line with international conventions.
Egypt also supports the legitimacy of the Palestinian National Authority.
The SIS chief said the memoranda underline the illegality of the Israeli occupation. They highlight the Israeli policies that involve annexing land, demolishing homes, expelling, deporting and displacing Palestinians, in violation of the right to self-determination of Palestinians and the prohibition of the seizure of lands by armed force, according to the statement.
The memoranda also voice Egypt’s rejection of the Israeli policies of persecution and racial discrimination, which blatantly contravene the principles of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
Egypt’s memoranda and verbal argument call on the UN court to affirm Israel’s responsibility for all the aforementioned illegal acts, urging for the immediate withdrawal of its forces from the occupied Palestinian territories, including the city of Jerusalem, according to the SIS chief.
They also call for compensating the Palestinians for the damage incurred as a result of these policies and practices.
Furthermore, they call on the international community not to recognise the illegality of Israeli measures and to stop providing support for Israel, and for international organisations and the UN to assume their responsibilities in this regard.
Egypt’s verbal argument at the ICJ is a continuation of Egypt’s historic role throughout the decades of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and represents an additional documentation of the Egyptian vision for the Palestinian rights.
Mohamed Fahmy is the editor-in-chief of The Egyptian Gazette and Egyptian Mail newspapers
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