Press release on the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice

The Government of Chile appreciates and strongly supports the advisory opinion issued today by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on “the legal consequences of Israel's policies and practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”.

In its conclusions, the ICJ stated that:

• The continued presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is illegal.
• The State of Israel has an obligation to end its illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as quickly as possible.
• The State of Israel has an obligation to immediately cease all new settlement activity, and evacuate all settlers from the OPT.
• The State of Israel has an obligation to repair the damage caused to the people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
• All States have an obligation to not recognize as lawful the situation arising from the illegal presence of the State of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by that presence, as well as to ensure that any impediment to the exercise by the Palestinian people of their right to self-determination is ended and, in the case of States Parties to the Geneva Conventions, to ensure that Israel complies with its obligations under international humanitarian law.
• International organizations have the obligation to not recognize as legal the situation resulting from the aforementioned illegal presence in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Chile observes with particular concern the ICJ's assessment that the legislation and measures taken by Israel to maintain an almost complete separation between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem imply a breach of Article 3 of the Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD), which prohibits racial segregation and apartheid.

The Government of Chile hopes that all States and international organizations will accept and implement the conclusions of the International Court of Justice, particularly the United Nations, to which the ICJ specifically called upon to consider precise modalities and additional measures to put an end, as soon as possible, to the illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Chile participated in the consultative procedure before the ICJ through the submission of written pleadings and in the oral arguments held in February 2024. We appreciate that Chile's position coincided, to a large extent, with the ICJ's arguments.