Saudi Arabia Participates in ICJ Public Sitting on Israel’s Obligations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory

The Hague, April 29, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia participated today in the public sitting of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, Netherlands, concerning the request for an advisory opinion on "the Obligations of Israel in Relation to the Presence and Activities of the United Nations, Other International Organizations and Third States in and in Relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory."

Mohamed Alnasser, Director-General of the Legal Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, represented the Kingdom at the sitting and delivered Saudi Arabia’s official statement before the Court.

In his address, Alnasser reiterated Saudi Arabia’s firm demand that Israel, as an occupying power, must adhere to the provisions of international humanitarian law and ensure the provision of basic needs to the Palestinian people living under occupation, including access to food, water, shelter, and medical supplies.

"Israel must respect, protect, and fulfill the fundamental human rights of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory," Alnasser emphasized, highlighting Israel’s obligations under international human rights law. He pointed out that Israel’s obstruction of efforts by international organizations, including the United Nations and third states, to deliver humanitarian assistance constitutes a clear violation of its human rights obligations.

Alnasser further underlined that the United Nations Charter imposes a duty on Israel to cooperate in good faith with the United Nations and its affiliated agencies, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). He stressed Israel’s responsibility to permit and facilitate efforts by international organizations and third states aiming to provide humanitarian and developmental support to the Palestinian people.

He concluded by reaffirming the necessity of respecting the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, describing it as a peremptory norm of international law that is central to the matter before the Court.

Saudi Arabia’s participation reflects its steadfast position in supporting the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people and its ongoing commitment to upholding international law and promoting justice and humanitarian principles at the international level.