Top UN court to deliver opinion on Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories

On July 18, the Israeli Knesset (its unicameral legislature) passed a resolution rejecting potential Palestinian sovereignty and the ‘two-state solution’ that envisions a stable prosperous Palestinian state alongside Israel.

The judges declared the Israeli occupation 'unlawful' and reiterated the Palestinians' unconditional 'right to self-determination.'

This ruling, while nonbinding, puts pressure on Israel and could change the reality, but Israel's allies and the international community need to take it seriously

The advisory opinion process predates the current Israel-Hamas conflict, and in a separate case brought by South Africa, the court in May issued a binding order for Israel to halt its Rafah offensive in the Gaza Strip.