During a visit to UN Headquarters in New York, where he is due to brief the Security Council Tuesday, Mr. Gautier told UN News’s Julia Foxen that this global divide requires the UN’s principal judicial organ – commonly known as the world court – to maintain its autonomous and independent role “without taking sides in the political arena”…
UN News: Can you explain the advisory opinion from July regarding the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory?
Phillipe Gautier: What is important is the fact that Israel’s prolonged occupation and the policies and practices that deprived Palestinian people of the right to self-determination has a consequence on the legal status of the occupation. The conclusion was that on the basis of those circumstances, the presence is unlawful.
The part of the advisory opinion addressing the responsibilities of the different actors is for Israel to put an end to the occupation as soon as possible, to immediately stop new settlements and to provide full reparation for the damage it caused.
It’s important to underline that the purpose of an advisory opinion is to provide clarification on the law and to serve as a guide for those who have requested it, ensuring that the issue is thoroughly examined and considered by UN organs.