On February 20, local time, the hearings held by the United Nations International Court of Justice on the issue of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories continued. At the hearing that day, 10 countries, including South Africa, Chile and Brazil, spoke. They condemned Israel for its actions or policies against Palestine as being contrary to international law.
The representative of South Africa told the International Court of Justice on the same day that the apartheid imposed by Israel on the Palestinian territories was more extreme than that experienced by South Africa before 1994. Israel's illegal occupation was guilty of apartheid, and South Africa had a "special obligation" to speak out wherever apartheid took place and to ensure that it "ended immediately".
The representative of Chile stated that Israel had demonstrated its intention to control the occupied Palestinian territory indefinitely, through the exploitation of natural resources, the implementation of its settlement policy and the construction of the separation wall. These systematic acts of destruction also demonstrate that Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories is a violation of international law.
The representative of Brazil stated that Israel's prolonged occupation, settlement and annexation of the Palestinian territories, including measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, nature and status of places such as Jerusalem, were contrary to international law.
Other speakers on that day also stated that Israel's behaviour demonstrated the permanence of its occupation of the Palestinian territories, which was becoming a de facto annexation, while Israel's behaviour had demonstrated the permanence of its occupation. Israel's actions are contrary to international law. They also condemned Israel's contempt for the hundreds of resolutions adopted by the United Nations over the years.
The United Nations International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, began a six-day hearing on the 19th to discuss the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian land.
*: CCTV news client.