Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday criticized the United Nations General Assembly over a resolution passed the previous day to take Israel’s “occupation of … Palestinian territories” to the International Court of Justice, accusing the global body of “distorting historical facts” and declaring that the Jewish people cannot be “occupiers” in their own country.
In a sharply worded statement, Netanyahu, who only regained the post of prime minister on Thursday, said Israel was not bound by the UN General Assembly resolution calling on the International Court of Justice to settle the conflict in accordance with international law and the UN – charter to consider.
“Like hundreds of twisted decisions against Israel made by the UNGA over the years, today’s despicable decision will not bind the Israeli government. The Jewish nation is not an occupier in its own land and its own eternal capital, Jerusalem,” he said, adding that “no UN decision can falsify the historical facts.”
“We will continue to fight for the truth,” the statement concluded.
The UN General Assembly resolution, passed by a vote of 87 to 26, calls on the Hague-based International Court of Justice to issue “urgent advice” on Israel’s “ongoing occupation, settlement and annexation of Palestinian territories.”
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It also calls for an investigation into Israeli policies “aimed at changing the demographic makeup, character and status of the Holy City of Jerusalem,” and says Israel has passed “discriminatory laws and policies.”
Commenting on today’s vote in the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said:
“Just like the hundreds of distorted UN General Assembly resolutions against Israel over the years, today’s shameful resolution will not commit the Israeli government. pic.twitter.com/mTmkeFl6AC
– Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) December 31, 2022
Newly appointed Secretary of State Eli Cohen also called the decision “anti-Israel” and accused the passage of the resolution of “supporting terrorist organizations and the anti-Semitic BDS movement.”
“This latest initiative is yet another blunder by the Palestinian leadership, which for years has supported and instigated terror and is leading its people in ways that are damaging to the Palestinians themselves and any potential ending to the conflict,” Cohen said.
Likud MK Eli Cohen addresses a conference in Tel Aviv, December 8, 2022. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)
“This decision will not change anything on the ground and will not prevent us from fighting terrorism, defending the citizens of Israel and advancing the interests of the country.”
Israel’s former UN envoy Danny Danon told Channel 12 that the Palestinian tactic of “embarrassing” Israel on the global stage is part of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ strategy of “diplomatic terror”.
“In my opinion, this is a test to be made by our new government [Mahmoud] Abbas is paying a price for refusing to speak to any government and [instead] embarrassing from the outside,” Danon said.
A UN General Assembly vote on December 30, 2022 on a resolution asking the International Court of Justice to consider the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Screenshot/UN)
Meanwhile, a Haaretz report on Saturday said the government had not yet decided whether to follow the International Court of Justice’s investigation.
The report also said the government was concerned that the results of an ICJ inquiry were being used by the Palestinian Authority to further attack Israel in international fora, including attempts to impose sanctions on the country.
A general view of a session of the International Court of Justice in The Hague on October 1, 2018. (Bas Zerwinski/ANP/AFP)
After the UNGA vote, the ICJ will begin preparing an advisory opinion, a process that is expected to take some time, likely at least a year.
Before that, the ICJ calls for public comment, which will be taken into account in the final report, followed by a public hearing process.
The case can also be escalated to the International Criminal Court, which can make legally binding decisions.
Jerusalem has previously argued that the court has no jurisdiction over this since Israel is not a member of the court and has not ratified its Rome Statute. But the ICC ruled last year that it has jurisdiction over the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem since accepting Palestine as a member state in 2015.
Luke Tress contributed to this report.
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