Indonesia and Slovenia are set to present a new charge against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on February 19 at The Hague, regarding the violations of Palestinian rights.
Both the countries will participate in an advisory opinion process on Israel’s control and policies over the occupied Palestinian territory.
This comes after the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in December 2022 requested the ICJ to issue an advisory opinion on whether Israeli policies against Palestinians violated international law. The UNGA resolution was adopted by 156 votes in favor, six against, and 25 abstentions.
Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that Indonesia supports the efforts of the UNGA to obtain an advisory opinion from the ICJ. She stressed the importance of upholding international law and respecting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.
“Israel’s occupation of Palestine, which has lasted for more than 70 years, will not erase the right of the Palestinian people to independence,” Marsudi said ahead of a discussion with international law experts in Jakarta on Tuesday, January 16.
She stated that various Israeli policies, such as the annexation of Palestinian territories, settlements in the West Bank, and changing the status of the city of Jerusalem, are not valid according to international law.
“Israel’s invalid actions must be stopped, and there needs to be accountability for the violations of the law that have occurred. Countries must cease their support for Israel. The international community, including the UN, must not recognize the legality of Israel’s actions,” Marsudi said.
Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon said that Slovenia, as one of the few EU countries, has decided to actively participate and present its views in the proceedings before the ICJ.
“This is a very broad spectrum of alleged violations that have been committed in the region for decades and whose horrific consequences are still visible today,” Fajon said at a press conference on Thursday, January 11.
She added that Slovenia supports a peaceful and just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, based on the two-state solution and in accordance with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
The ICJ advisory case seeks to hold Israel accountable for its “policies and practices” in the occupied Palestinian territories. The ICJ decision in this case is only advisory, contrary to South Africa’s legal case heard last week. South Africa accused Israel of committing genocide in Gaza, a charge that Israel strongly denies.
Indonesia and Slovenia hope that the ICJ advisory opinion will contribute to the enforcement of world order according to international law and the achievement of Palestinian independence.
