Attorney General to represent Ireland at ICJ case on Israel and Occupied Palestinian Territory The Hague

Attorney General Rossa Fanning SC will address the International Court of Justice in The Hague this Thursday, 22 February, regarding the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.

Public hearings commenced on Monday, 19 February before the International Court of Justice, the principal court of the United Nations, on the request for an advisory opinion on the case.

A large number of countries are intervening in the proceedings. Ireland, represented by the Attorney General, Rossa Fanning SC, will make its oral submission to the Court on Thursday 22 February at 10.40 am Irish time.

The hearings will be streamed live and on demand in the two official languages of the Court on the Court’s website and on UN Web TV.

The hearings are scheduled to run for six days, concluding next Monday, 26 February.

The background to the hearings is that on 30 December 2022, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted resolution A/RES/77/247 in which it requested the International Court of Justice to give an advisory opinion on the following questions:

(a) What are the legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, from its prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including measures aimed at altering the demographic composition, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem, and from its adoption of related discriminatory legislation and measures?

(b) How do the policies and practices of Israel referred to in paragraph 18 (a) above affect the legal status of the occupation, and what are the legal consequences that arise for all States and the United Nations from this status?

By an Order dated 3 February 2023, the Court decided that the United Nations and its Member States, as well as the observer State of Palestine, are considered likely to be able to furnish information on the questions submitted to the Court for an advisory opinion, and the Court fixed 25 July 2023 as the time-limit for the presentation of written statements on the questions. The Court subsequently authorised, at their request, the League of Arab States, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union to participate in the proceedings.