RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) – Israel condemned and Palestinians welcomed on Saturday the United Nations General Assembly’s vote to ask the International Court of Justice to give an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land.
Friday’s vote presents a challenge to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who this week took office at the head of a government that has made settlement expansion a priority and includes parties that want to annex the West Bank land on which it was built.
“The Jewish people are not occupiers in their land, nor occupiers in our eternal capital, Jerusalem, and no UN resolution can distort that historical fact,” Netanyahu said in a video message, adding that Israel is not bound by the “despicable resolution.”
Along with Gaza and East Jerusalem, the Palestinians seek a state in the occupied West Bank. Most countries consider Israeli settlements there to be illegal, a view that Israel disputes, citing historical and biblical ties to the land.
The Hague-based International Court of Justice, also known as the World Court, is the highest court of the United Nations that deals with disputes between countries. Its rulings are binding, although the International Court of Justice does not have the power to enforce them.
The United Nations General Assembly has asked the International Court of Justice to provide an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of “the Israeli occupation, settlement and annexation … including actions aimed at changing the demographic composition, character and status of the city of Jerusalem.”
Members of Netanyahu’s new government pledged to bolster settlements with development plans and budgets and authorize dozens of outposts built without permits.
The government includes newly created positions and restructured roles that give some of these powers to pro-settler coalition partners, who ultimately aim to extend Israeli sovereignty over the West Bank.
However, Netanyahu has shown no indication of any imminent steps to annex the settlements, a move likely to shake up its relations with Western and Arab allies alike.
The Palestinians welcomed the United Nations vote, in which 87 members voted in favor of adopting the request. Israel, the United States and 24 other countries voted against. 53 abstained from voting.
Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose Palestinian Authority has limited the West Bank’s autonomy, said.
Basem Naim, an official with Hamas, the armed Islamist group that controls Gaza, said it was “an important step towards restricting and isolating the occupying state (Israel)”.
Written by Maayan Lubel. Editing by Kim Coghill and Frances Kerry
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