CNN —The United Nations’ top court said Friday that Israel’s presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem is illegal, in an unprecedented opinion that called on Israel to end its decades-long occupation of territories claimed by Palestinians for a future state.
The Palestinians want the West Bank and Gaza for a future state, with East Jerusalem at its capital.
‘False decision’Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other politicians rejected the ICJ opinion.
“The answer to The Hague – sovereignty now,” Smotrich said on X, a call for Israel to annex the West Bank.
The ICJ in 2004 delivered an advisory opinion on the Israeli separation barrier around the majority of the West Bank, urging Israel to remove it from occupied land.
Persons:
Judge Nawaf Salam, ”, “, Israel, –, Benjamin Netanyahu, ” Netanyahu, Israel Katz, Bezalel Smotrich, ” Smotrich, Eliav, ” Lieblich
Organizations:
CNN, United Nations ’, West Bank, Court of Justice, East Jerusalem, United Nations, UN, Assembly, Hamas, ”, Palestinian Authority, Tel Aviv University
Locations:
East Jerusalem, Israel, Palestinian Territory, Palestinian, The Hague, Netherlands, Jerusalem, Gaza, East, ”, United, of Israel, South Africa, Hague, Palestine