Today, Friday, the State of Palestine submitted its written pleadings to the International Court of Justice as part of its procedures to issue a legal advisory opinion on “Israel’s obligations regarding the existence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third states,” in implementation of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 79/232 issued on 19 December 2024.

The State of Palestine affirmed the responsibility of Israel, the illegal occupying power, to respect the basic inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination and return, and the basic human rights guaranteed by international charters and laws, including the United Nations Charter, the Geneva Conventions and their annexed protocols.

The State of Palestine also affirmed that the illegal occupation authority is obligated not to obstruct the work of the United Nations, international and UN organizations, and third countries in the occupied Palestinian territory, to provide basic services, humanitarian and development assistance to the Palestinian people and enable them to exercise their right to self-determination.

Palestine indicated in its pleadings that Israel’s systematic and widespread violations of the rights of the Palestinian people, and its obstruction of the efforts and tasks of the United Nations and its specialized agencies in the occupied Palestinian territory, violate its obligations as an occupying power under international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as its obligations as a member state of the United Nations in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations and the conditions for its membership in the organization, including the commitment to implement UN resolutions 181 and 194.

The written pleading highlighted the importance of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to the Palestinian people, and the ongoing Israeli attacks on the Agency and its staff, the latest of which was the illegal Israeli law that prohibits its work in the occupied Palestinian territory and prevents it from providing basic services to Palestinian refugees, in violation of its obligations under the provisions of international law and the terms of its membership, as a natural result of the policy of impunity.

In its pleading, the State of Palestine demanded an end to the illegal occupation of the occupied Palestinian territory, the implementation by the illegal occupation authority of its legal obligations towards the Palestinian people, and the enabling of the United Nations, international and humanitarian organizations, and third countries to carry out their relief and development activities in the occupied Palestinian territory.

In the same context, the State of Palestine affirmed that it will continue to defend the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people, including their right to self-determination, return and independence, and to seek to hold Israel, the illegal occupying power, accountable for its crimes against the Palestinian people.

The State of Palestine stressed the important role played by the International Court of Justice and other international legal institutions in preserving the international order, especially during this time of unprecedented aggression against multilateral international institutions, and that it will continue to work with other like-minded states to protect and strengthen the role of international legal institutions during this time of unprecedented global threats to the international order based on the rule of law.

A large number of countries, including Arab and Islamic countries, and international groups, including the League of Arab States, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union, submitted their written pleadings to the Court within the specified deadline, noting that the Court will begin the oral pleadings procedures on 28 April 2025.