PRESS STATEMENT: NGOCHR Welcomes Advisory Opinion ICJ’s advisory opinion on Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories

23 Jul, 2024

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The NGO Coalition on Human Rights in Fiji (NGOCHR) and our allies, as staunch advocates for human rights and justice, welcome the historic advisory opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. The ICJ has declared Israel’s occupation and annexation of the Palestinian territories as unlawful, and its discriminatory laws and policies against Palestinians violate the prohibition on racial segregation and apartheid.

In February this year, the NGOCHR condemned the Fiji Government’s decision to submit a written statement and make an oral submission at the ICJ hearings in support of the Israeli genocidal occupation of Palestine. This submission placed Fiji alongside the United States as one of the only two countries endorsing such a stance.

Such a position undermined Fiji’s reputation and cast a shadow over its commitment to the values enshrined in international law. The NGOCHR had called on the Fiji Government to disclose the rationale and any consultations or analyses that led to this stance. Fiji’s submission at the ICJ was made by UN Permanent Representative Filipo Tarakinikini. We understand that a Zionist think-tank based at The Hague had advised and assisted Fiji.

The ICJ advisory opinion also says that States, including Fiji are under an obligation not to recognise as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. They are also under an obligation not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. It is for all States, while respecting the Charter of the United Nations and international law, to ensure that any impediment resulting from the illegal presence of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory to the exercise of the Palestinian people of its right to self-determination is brought to an end.

We call on the Fiji Government to support the conclusions of the ICJ, vote in support of any relevant resolutions at the UN General Assembly, and modify its policies to stop aiding Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The NGOCHR has been holding weekly Thursdays in Black Vigils to call for a permanent ceasefire and end to the genocide in Gaza since October last year. We stand in solidarity with those advocating for peaceful resolution of conflicts and upholding human rights worldwide. The NGOCHR will continue to monitor this situation closely and support Fiji in adopting a foreign policy that reflects the values of its people and the principles of international law.

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