Melike Pala
23 February 2024•Update: 23 February 2024
ANKARA
Malaysia told a hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Thursday that Palestine has the right to self-determination and that this right has been violated due to the Israeli occupation.
The hearings, where the legal consequences of Israel's actions in the occupied Palestinian territories are being discussed, are taking place at the Peace Palace in The Hague, the administrative capital of the Netherlands.
Speaking on behalf of Malaysia, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan highlighted that the occupation is illegal due to its violation of international law and emphasized the need for an immediate end to the occupation.
Hasan said it is essential for the ICJ to express its views on the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, as this opinion would assist in delivering a fair judgment on the occupation, annexation and discriminatory policies in Palestine.
Emphasizing the violation of international law, occupation law and laws regulating annexation and the use of force through the establishment of illegal settlements in the occupied territories, Hasan pointed out that all these actions further violate the Palestinian people's right to self-determination.
He also noted that the blockade imposed by Israel on Gaza deprives the local population of basic necessities and called for continued support for the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, or UNRWA, which is facing challenges due to some countries discontinuing financial support based on Israeli claims that 12 of UNRWA's 13,000 employees in the Gaza Strip took part in the Hamas-led assault on Israel last year.
Speaking about “the unquestionable validity of the right to self-determination for the Palestinian people,” Hasan said that in addition to ending the occupation, Israel should compensate Palestine for the violations and damages it has caused.
Jagdish D. Koonjul, the Permanent Representative of Mauritius to the UN, speaking on behalf of Mauritius also highlighted the need to end Israel's illegal occupation and provide the Palestinian people with the right to self-determination.
Referring to the role of the ICJ in the decolonization of the Chagos Archipelago, Koonjul highlighted the importance of a consultative opinion to initiate a similar negotiation process between Israel and Palestine.
Supporting the two-state solution, Koonjul said: “Indeed, this is the only solution that can bring about lasting peace. We believe that Palestinians should live in freedom within their own state. Additionally, we believe that Palestine possesses all the necessary qualifications to be recognized as a state.”
Pierre Klein, a professor of international law at the Free University of Brussels, drew attention to the longstanding Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, emphasizing that the occupation, which has turned into an “annexation,” is illegal.
*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul
