Fiji defends stance on Israeli occupation at ICJ amidst criticism

In upholding its principled positions on matters that impact our core values, Fiji will continue to stand for what is right for the dignity of humankind.

This has been highlighted by the Office of the Prime Minister as the NGO Coalition on Human Rights has condemned the Fijian Government's decision to submit a written statement in support of the Israeli occupation of Palestine, including East Jerusalem and is calling on the government to reconsider its position and for the Prime Minister to declare to the Fijian public as to who drafted the submissions on behalf of Fiji and why such position was taken.

The International Court of Justice will begin hearings on Monday where Fiji and the United States are the only two countries endorsing such a stance taken by Israel.

In his opening remarks, Palestinian counsel, Paul Reichler says of all the States that submitted the written statement to the court, only Fiji attempted to defend the occupation as lawful.

While responding to questions by fijivillage new, the Office of the Prime Minister says Fiji’s intended presentation at the International Court of Justice in the Hague specifically responds to the December 2022 United Nations General Assembly Resolution “Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem.”

The Office says the resolution was adopted well before the Hamas assault on Israel on 7th October, 2023.

They say among other countries, Fiji also made a written submission in 2023. The Office says of the 57 countries that opted to make oral presentations, 11 countries including Fiji, are concerned with the abuse of the International Court of Justice on matters that should follow already established legally binding agreements and processes that were agreed to by the parties and endorsed at the international level.

They say in the same vein, there are legally binding agreements and agreed processes for the Israel-Palestinian issue.

They say on the question before the ICJ, their main concern is that Fiji underscores the importance of maintaining and upholding existing and binding legal framework including those established specifically to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

The Office says an Advisory Opinion on the legal consequences of the alleged infringements of international law touches the core of the ongoing conflict and requires the Court to settle law in relation to the whole conflict.

The Office says Fiji is therefore concerned that the current case sets a precedence, for other ongoing conflicts that maybe referred to the Court, thereby undermining the Courts integrity.

They say the Court must not be used as a political playground to assert long-held presumptions and biases, and in the course of doing so, misusing international law, against its intended purpose.