UN Court Opens Hearings Into Israel’s Occupation

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Historic hearings have opened at the United Nations’ top court into the legality of Israel’s 57-year occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state. Palestinian representatives are speaking first as the International Court of Justice started the legal arguments on Monday, following a request by the U.N. General Assembly for a non-binding advisory opinion into Israel’s policies in the occupied territories. The case at the court’s Great Hall of Justice comes against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war but it focuses instead on Israel’s open-ended control of the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip and annexed east Jerusalem. Judges will likely take months to issue an opinion.