NEW YORK – More than 40 nations urged Israel on Monday to rescind the sanctions it had put in place against the Palestinian Authority earlier in the month because of that organisation’s efforts to obtain the UN’s top court to provide an advisory opinion on the Israeli occupation.
A resolution requesting an opinion from the International Court of Justice on the subject of Israeli occupation of Palestinian areas was approved by the UN General Assembly on December 30.
Israel retaliated by announcing a slew of economic measures against the Palestinian Authority on January 6 in order to make it “pay the price” for promoting the resolution.
In a statement to journalists on Monday, about 40 members of the UN expressed “deep concern” over the Israeli government’s decision to impose punitive measures on the Palestinian people, leadership, and civil society in response to the General Assembly’s request to the court.
They reaffirmed their “unwavering support” for the ICJ and international law.
In spite of how each nation feels about the resolution, the members declared that they “oppose punitive measures in response to an advisory opinion request by the International Court of Justice, and more generally in response to a General Assembly resolution, and demand for their prompt reversal.”
The statement is endorsed by nations that voted in favour of the resolution, including Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Ireland, Pakistan, and South Africa, as well as nations that abstained from voting, including Japan, France, and South Korea, and nations that voted against the resolution, including Germany and Estonia.
