According to Egyptian allegations, Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, construction of settlements, expulsion of Palestinians and other Israeli political practices violate the principles of international humanitarian law.
Rashwan said Cairo will present oral evidence in court on Wednesday. Egypt also wants Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem, and demand compensation for the Palestinians.
1979 peace treaty
In 1979, Egypt was the first Arab country to sign a peace treaty with Israel. The neighboring country supported the blockade of the Gaza Strip that Israel reinforced in 2006. However, relations deteriorated following the war in Gaza. The Cairo government is concerned about the possibility of large numbers of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip crossing the border as a result of the fighting.
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Middle East: What can peace look like?
The Egyptian government of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi itself has come under international criticism for serious violations of basic human rights. Human rights activists accuse the country of, among other things, illegal killings, mass arbitrary detentions, severe repression and violations of the right to freedom of expression.
Sanctions against violent settlers
In the Six-Day War in 1967, Israel conquered, among other things, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Hundreds of thousands of Israeli settlers now live there, among some three million Palestinians. Palestinians demand these areas for their own state.
Since the Hamas massacre in Israel on October 7, settler violence against Palestinians has increased again. Since then, hundreds of Palestinians in the West Bank have been expelled from their lands.
Several Western states have recently imposed sanctions against violent Israeli settlers. According to Israeli media, there have been more attacks by Palestinian assassins against Israeli civilians and security forces in the West Bank over the past year and a half.
New procedures begin on Monday
A hearing into Israel's actions in the occupied Palestinian territories begins on Monday at the UN's highest court in another case. At the end of 2022, the UN General Assembly had already asked the UN's highest court for a legal opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's actions against Palestinians in the occupied territories. 52 states and three international organizations participate in the hearing. The Palestinians start on Monday.
Proceedings ongoing following South African lawsuit
The ICJ last addressed the current conflict in Gaza in January. The court ordered Israel to prevent genocide in the Gaza Strip and do everything in its power to protect the lives of Palestinians. Israel must also allow more humanitarian aid.
This was a preliminary ruling in the case South Africa brought against Israel before the United Nations' highest court. South Africa accuses Israel of violating the Genocide Convention. Israel firmly rejects the accusations.