The United States defended Israel's occupation of the West Bank by urging the United Nation's highest court not to order Jerusalem to immediately withdraw its troops from the region.
American authorities argued that Israel is currently facing 'very real security needs." The development comes a day after the U.S. issued its third veto in response to a ceasefire resolution in Gaza at the United Nations Security Council. It was a vote that drew scrutiny from nations and aid groups.
Israel's Occupation of the West Bank
The United States' latest show of support for Israel was also seen at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. That was where Richard C. Visek, the acting legal adviser at the U.S. State Department urged a 15-judge panel not to call for Israel's immediate withdrawal from the occupied Palestinian territory.
The American official said that only the establishment of an independent Palestinian state that is "living safely and securely alongside" Israel could result in lasting peace in the region. This was a repeat of a longstanding U.S. position. However, the prospect of such an idea appears elusive amid the ongoing Gaza war, as per the New York Times.
Visek said that the conflict cannot be resolved through violence or unilateral actions, adding that negotiations are the path to a lasting peace. The UN's highest court is hearing six days of arguments over the legality of Israel's occupation of the West Bank as well as other Palestinian-majority territories.
The matter has been the subject of years of debates and resolutions at the UN. The latest hearings, which involve more than 50 countries, were called long before the start of the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. However, they have become an integral part of the effort to stop the conflict.
As the world court's judges listened to arguments in the stately wood-paneled courtroom in the Netherlands, the dynamics of the occupation of Israel were playing out on the ground in the West Bank city of Jenin on Wednesday following an overnight raid conducted by the Israeli military.
Defending Israel's Efforts
Amid the hearing, speakers from South Africa and Saudi Arabia as well as others have demanded that Israel end its occupation of the Palestinian territories. Visek said that the world was reminded of Israel's security needs following the Hamas militant group's attack on Oct. 7, 2023, according to Aljazeera.
Jerusalem then responded to the assault by launching an operation into the Gaza Strip that has so far killed more than 29,000 Palestinians. Additionally, the war has displaced more than 80% of the population of the region and reduced large parts of the territory to rubble.
The ICJ is expected to issue its opinion on the matter by the summer and the UN court's decision could have a far-reaching political and legal impact if it deems the occupation to be illegal.
For example, it could have implications for governments that try to ban boycot campaigns aimed at products that are made in the occupied territories. Additionally, it could increase geopolitical costs to the U.S. and the UK in continuing to defend Israel internationally, said The Guardian.
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