UPDATE - Arab countries welcome ICJ advisory opinion on Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories

CHANGES HEADLINE, DECK, ADDS GRAPHS FOR SAUDI ARABIA, IRAQ STATEMENTS

By Mohammad Sio

ISTANBUL (AA) - Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Iraq expressed support Friday for the advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which affirmed Palestine’s right to self-determination and demanded the evacuation of Israeli settlements on occupied lands.

The opinion, in response to a 2022 request by the UN General Assembly, said Israel's decades-long occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is "unlawful" and should be brought to an end "as rapidly as possible."

It said Israel should cease all new settlement activities and evacuate all settlers from the occupied Palestinian territory.

Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 1967, and has built and expanded illegal settlements.

“The ICJ's advisory opinion deemed the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories illegal as it violates the Palestinians' right to self-determination,” said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

It urged Israel to promptly end the occupation, halt new settlement activities and evacuate all existing settlements.

The ministry also urged international parties “to respect and implement the ICJ's advisory opinion, assist the Palestinian people in exercising their right to self-determination, and work to end the humanitarian suffering they endure.”

Kuwait's Foreign Ministry stressed the need for the international community to carry out its "legal, political and moral duties to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent state, and to stop the aggression against Gaza."

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry welcomed the ICJ ruling and said, "The necessity to take practical steps and credible to achieve a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian cause in accordance with the Arab peace initiative and the international legitimacy decisions."

Iraq welcomed the opinion on the practices of the Israeli entity “that affect the human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories."

Its Foreign Ministry stressed "the importance of respecting the historic advisory opinion issued by the court and accepting the legal elements contained therein to enhance efforts aimed at restoring stability in the Palestinian territories and the Middle East region."

*Ahmed Asmar contributed to this news story from Ankara