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Senior Palestinian officials on Monday told the International Court of Justice their people were suffering from Israeli “colonialism and apartheid” at the start of a week of keenly awaited hearings into the legality of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
“It is so painful to be Palestinian today,” said Palestinian UN envoy Riyad Mansour. “How could we be subjected to such loss and injustice, such lawlessness and humiliation time and time again?”
Mr Mansour appealed directly to the panel of judges at the ICJ to issue the opinion that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is illegal.
This “would contribute to bringing it [the occupation] to an immediate end – paving the way to a just and lasting peace,” said Mr Mansour.
The hearings are separate from the war in Gaza and not related to South Africa's accusation of Israel committing genocide in the enclave.
They stem from a 2022 UN General Assembly vote to seek an advisory opinion from the ICJ on what states should do about Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories.
Over 50 countries will contribute for 30 minutes each until next Monday. They include the US, China and Russia, as well as a number of Arab states such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Three international organisations – the Arab League, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation and the African Union – have been granted authorisation to intervene on the last day of the hearings.
The hearings have coincided with a renewed push for a Palestinian state by world leaders since the October 7 Hamas-led attacks on Israel that killed about 1,200 people.
The attacks caused a military response on Gaza that has killed more than 29,000 Palestinians and injured at least another 69,000. About 1.5 million people out of a population of 2.3 million have been pushed to the southern city of Rafah.
“Israeli leaders no longer feel the need to hide their intentions. They speak openly of getting rid of the Palestinian people one way or another,” said Mr Mansour.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Al Maliki, who was also present at the hearings in the Dutch city of The Hague, told judges that “ending Israel's impunity is a moral, political and legal imperative”.
“The genocide under way in Gaza is a result of decades of impunity and inaction,” he said.
Israel has rejected accusations of genocide. It has declined to take part in the hearings but has made a written statement that has not been made available to the public.
Pictures of mandatory Palestine were projected for the court as Mr Al Maliki spoke. He said it was not a “wasteland” before the creation of the state of Israel in 1948 – as some Israeli leaders say.
“Our people are here to stay,” Mr Al Maliki said. “They have a right to live in freedom and dignity in their ancestral land. They will not forsake their rights.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly said he is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state, which was enshrined in a 1947 UN resolution that also recognised the creation of the state of Israel.
“Demographic manipulation”
Lawyers also intervened to put forward legal arguments backing claims made by Palestinian leaders.
French-British lawyer Philippe Sands described the Israeli state's support for 700,000 settlers living illegally in Palestinian territories as “demographic manipulation of the highest order.”
“Israel has arrogated to itself the right to decide who owns Palestinian land, who may live on it, and how it must be used,” Mr Sands told the court.
“The right of self-determination requires that UN member states bring Israeli occupation to an immediate end. No aid, no assistance, no complicity, no contribution to forcible actions, no money, no arms, no trade, no nothing,” said Mr Sands.
“All UN members are obliged by law to end Israel's presence on the territory of Palestine, period.”
Mr Sands refuted US and UK claims that an advisory opinion from the ICJ would negatively impact future negotiations.
“A forthwith advisory opinion from this court makes a resolution more likely, not less likely,” he said.
Israel captured areas that Palestinians want as part of their state in the 1967 war. They include the occupied West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. It withdrew from Gaza in 2005 but, along with neighbouring Egypt, still controls its borders.
Human rights lawyers have told The National they expect the hearings to increase political pressure on countries involved in negotiations to establish a Palestinian state.
Despite not being legally binding, the ICJ's opinions “carry a lot of weight”, said Gissou Nia, director of the Strategic Litigation Project at the Atlantic Council. “They could have political impact.”
The advisory opinions are likely to either reaffirm the need for a Palestinian state or the need to recognise the rights of Palestinians under occupation. “It will sharpen the need to create a state,” said Ms Nia.
World powers, including Israel's strongest allies, have been increasingly vocal about the need for a Palestinian state in the past few months.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference a day before the ICJ hearings, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken highlighted “the imperative to proceed to a Palestinian state that ensures Israel’s security”.
Mr Blinken, however, refused to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
Australia squads
ODI: Tim Paine (capt), Aaron Finch (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Josh Hazlewood, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye.
T20: Aaron Finch (capt), Alex Carey (vice-capt), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth.
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre 4-cylinder petrol
Power: 154bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Transmission: 7-speed automatic with 8-speed sports option
Price: From Dh79,600
On sale: Now
RESULT
Manchester City 1 Sheffield United 0
Man City: Jesus (9')
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
LIKELY TEAMS
South Africa
Faf du Plessis (captain), Dean Elgar, Aiden Markram, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Quinton de Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel, Lungi Ngidi.
India (from)
Virat Kohli (captain), Murali Vijay, Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma, Ajinkya Rahane, Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik (wkt), Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Jasprit Bumrah.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
WORLD CUP SEMI-FINALS
England v New Zealand
(Saturday, 12pm UAE)
Wales v South Africa
(Sunday, 12pm, UAE)
Polarised public
31% in UK say BBC is biased to left-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is biased to right-wing views
19% in UK say BBC is not biased at all
Source: YouGov
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Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Cinco in numbers
Dh3.7 million
The estimated cost of Victoria Swarovski’s gem-encrusted Michael Cinco wedding gown
46
The number, in kilograms, that Swarovski’s wedding gown weighed.
1,000
The hours it took to create Cinco’s vermillion petal gown, as seen in his atelier [note, is the one he’s playing with in the corner of a room]
50
How many looks Cinco has created in a new collection to celebrate Ballet Philippines’ 50th birthday
3,000
The hours needed to create the butterfly gown worn by Aishwarya Rai to the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.
1.1 million
The number of followers that Michael Cinco’s Instagram account has garnered.
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
Secret Pigeon Service: Operation Colomba, Resistance and the Struggle to Liberate Europe
Gordon Corera, Harper Collins
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BEACH SOCCER WORLD CUP
Group A
Paraguay
Japan
Switzerland
USA
Group B
Uruguay
Mexico
Italy
Tahiti
Group C
Belarus
UAE
Senegal
Russia
Group D
Brazil
Oman
Portugal
Nigeria
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Zayed Sustainability Prize
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
