The United States has criticized the ICJ opinion regarding Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories

The United States criticized the “breadth” of the UN Supreme Court’s ruling that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal, which Washington said would complicate efforts to resolve the conflict.

“We are clear that the Israeli government’s settlement support program violates international law and impedes the cause of peace,” a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said in an email Saturday.

“However, we are concerned that the breadth of the court’s opinion could complicate efforts to resolve the conflict,” the State Department added.

The International Court of Justice said Friday that Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories and settlements is illegal and must end as soon as possible, delivering the strongest ruling to date on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The State Department said the ICJ’s opinion that Israel should withdraw from the Palestinian territories as soon as possible was “contrary to the established framework” for resolving the conflict.

Washington said the framework took into account Israel’s security needs, highlighted by the October 7 attacks on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. According to Israeli records, 1,200 people were killed in these attacks and about 250 were taken hostage.

A two-state solution

An advisory opinion by ICJ judges is not binding, but it carries weight under international law and may weaken support for Israel.

The State Department said direct negotiations are the way forward.

“Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and their associated regime, are established and maintained in violation of international law,” ICJ President Nawaf Salam said Friday, reading the decisions of the 15-judge panel.

The court said Israel’s obligations include paying reparations for damages and “expelling all settlers from existing settlements.”

Israel rejected the idea and said a political solution could only be reached through negotiations. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s office welcomed the comment, calling it historic.

The State Department said it “strongly discourages” parties from using the ICJ opinion as “a pretext for unilateral measures that deepen divisions or replace a negotiated two-state solution.”

The ICJ case sought a legal opinion from the United Nations General Assembly in 2022. It preceded Israel’s war on Gaza, which began after October 7 attacks that killed nearly 39,000 people, according to the health ministry in Gaza, which is under Hamas rule, causing a famine that displaced Gaza’s entire population, 2.3 million people, and which Israel denies encouraging genocide charges.

UN The ICJ opinion states that the Security Council, the General Assembly and all states that do not legally recognize the occupation or maintain Israel’s presence in the Palestinian territories are obliged to “provide aid or assistance”.