The Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Abu Gheit, praised the opinion issued by the International Court of Justice regarding the illegality of the ongoing Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and Gaza for the past 57 years. Abu Gheit stated in a statement on Friday evening that while the ruling may seem logical and natural to all supporters of the Palestinian cause, it represents an important legal cornerstone on the path to affirming the Palestinian narrative and granting it the legal legitimacy and credibility it requires amid the ongoing efforts of the occupying power to distort the nature and origin of the conflict in order to tighten its grip on the occupied Palestinian territories.
He said, "Israel's racist practices in the occupied Palestinian territories do not require a statement to demonstrate their horror and complete departure from human rights values, but the ruling serves as conclusive legal evidence to silence all empty Israeli arguments."
Abu Gheit explained that the advisory opinion of the court carries significant legal and moral weight, emphasizing its characterization of Israeli policies as racist and the severe consequences of the continued occupation.
He added that the proceedings of this case, since its referral from the United Nations General Assembly to the court late last year, represented a true epic in which several countries participated with thorough and professional pleadings, noting the Arab League's intervention in this regard.
