UN General Assembly to vote on enforcing the rule of law – and legality of long occupation

Icahd to partake in UN General Assembly to raise legality of prolonged occupation

By ICAHD Staff
September 18, 2012

ICAHD  [the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions], will partake in the High-level Meeting of the 67th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on the Rule of Law, to take place at the UN Headquarters in New York on 24 September 2012, and call the General Assembly to adopt a Resolution requesting an International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion on the legality of prolonged occupation.

This is a unique occasion for all Member States, non-governmental organizations and civil society represented at the highest level, to discuss and agree a forward looking agenda on strengthening the rule of law. Speaking at the plenary would be the President of the General Assembly, Vuk Jeremić (Serbia); UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon; President of the International Court of Justice, Judge Hisashi Owada; President of the Security Council, Peter Wittig (Germany); United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay; Member States and Observers, as well as a representatives of non-governmental organizations. ICAHD will be represented by Co-Director Itay Epshtain, and USA Director Salena Tramel.

The Secretary-General proposes in his report that the General Assembly adopt a programme of action for the rule of law, agree to a process to develop clear rule of law goals and adopt other key mechanisms to enhance dialogue on the rule of law. The Secretary-General also encourages Member States to take the occasion of the High-level Meeting to make individual pledges related to the rule of law.

The ICAHD statement to the High-Level meeting titled “Rule of Law, Prolonged Occupation, and Self-Determination: The Case of the Palestinian People under Israeli Rule” focuses on Israel’s protracted failure to comply with fundamental principles of rule of law and human rights obligations in relation to its prolonged occupation of the Palestinian territory, repercussions of the Israeli occupation for the Palestinian people, and Israel’s responsibility to respect, protect and fulfil Palestinians human rights, in accordance with international law and standards.

Furthermore, ICAHD will on this occasion encourage the UN General Assembly to adopt a Resolution calling for an International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion that establishes a new normative paradigm of prolonged occupation; reinforces the inalienable human rights of the Palestinian people to self-determination; and depicts the scope and magnitude of Israel’s illegal policies and practices in the OPT; and upholds the legal obligations of all states and international organizations to cooperate to end Israel’s prolonged occupation.