The Hague, Netherlands-January 21, 2023

In a move condemned by Israel and welcomed by the Palestinians ,

the International Court of Justice confirmed that it had officially received a request from the UN General Assembly for an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian Territories

It is expected that the court will prepare a list of states and organizations that will be allowed to submit written statements, but the press release did not provide additional information about the time frame for that process.

In previous advisory opinions, the court has also scheduled hearings, but it is likely that it will take at least several months before scheduling.

The Hague-based International Court of justice, also known as the world court, is the highest UN court dealing with disputes between states. Its provisions are binding, although it does not have the power to enforce them.

The UN General Assembly asked the International Court of Justice last month to provide an advisory opinion on the legal consequences "of the Israeli occupation, settlement and annexation of territories ... Including measures aimed at changing the demographic composition, the nature and status of the city of Jerusalem and the adoption of discriminatory legislation and measures to enshrine this policy"

The UN resolution also asks the court to give its opinion on how these policies and practices affect the "legal status of the occupation" and what legal consequences may arise for all states and for the UN from this situation.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the request for an opinion of the International Court of Justice an "abhorrent decision".

The last time the International Court of justice expressed its opinion on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians was in 2004, when it ruled that the Israeli separation wall was illegal. In the same judgment, the court said that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian territories were "established in violation of international law".

Israel rejected that ruling and accused the court of being politically motivated.