The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution calling on the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to give an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian territories.
The General Assembly voted 87 to 26 with 53 abstentions on the resolution.
The Hague-based ICJ also known as the World Court is the top UN court dealing with disputes between states. Its rulings are binding though the ICJ has no power to enforce them.
Palestine’s UN ambassador Riyad Mansour noted that the vote came one day after the swearing-in of a new far-right Israeli government which he said promises an expansion of illegal Jewish settlements and will accelerate “colonial and racist policies” towards Palestinians.
He also hailed nations that voted in favor of the resolution and were “undeterred by threats and pressure”.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) welcomed the vote saying it “reflects the victory of Palestinian diplomacy”.
“The time has come for Israel to be a state subject to law and to be held accountable for its ongoing crimes against our people” said Nabil Abu Rudeineh spokesman for PA President Mahmoud Abbas.
