The International Court of Justice, the highest judicial authority in the United Nations, will announce its advisory opinion today, Friday, regarding the legal consequences of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories since 1967.

The President of the court, Judge Nuwaf Salam, will read the advisory opinion during a public session that the court will hold at its headquarters, the "Palace of Peace" in The Hague, Netherlands, according to the Palestinian news agency and information "Wafa".

The Fourth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, which is the committee concerned with political issues and decolonization, adopted on November 11, 2022, a draft resolution presented by the State of Palestine requesting a legal advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice regarding "the legal ramifications arising from Israel's ongoing violation of the Palestinian people's right to self-determination, and its long-term occupation of the occupied Palestinian territory since 1967, its settlements and annexation efforts, including measures aimed at changing the demographic composition of Jerusalem and its character and status, and how Israeli policies and practices affect the legal status of the occupation and the legal consequences of this situation for all countries and the United Nations."

On February 26, the court began its deliberations on the case after hearing public submissions and briefs over a week presented by Palestine and 49 member states of the United Nations, including Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, Russia, France, and the Netherlands, as well as three international organizations: the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the African Union.

The court's announcement of its advisory opinion comes at a time when international legal pressures on Israel, the occupying power, are intensifying as it continues its genocidal war in the Gaza Strip and its ongoing crimes in the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem.

This case is separate from another case brought by South Africa before the International Court of Justice against Israel, accusing it of committing acts of genocide in its ongoing aggression against the Gaza Strip since last October.

The rulings of the "International Justice" are final for the concerned states parties in the case and not subject to appeal. This is the second time the United Nations General Assembly has requested the International Court of Justice to issue an advisory opinion related to the occupied Palestinian territory.

The General Assembly requested a legal opinion regarding the Israeli measures in the occupied territory in December 2003 concerning the construction of the separation wall in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. A few months later, in July 2004, the court found that the construction of the wall was contrary to international law and must stop, and that the parts already built must be dismantled.