Palestine hails UN vote on legal consequences of occupation: ‘Time for Israel to be held accountable’

Vote comes just a day after Benjamin Netanyahu took office as prime minister of hard-right government

The Palestinians have hailed a vote held at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) urging the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to provide an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

“The time has come for Israel to be a state subject to law, and to be held accountable for its ongoing crimes against our people,” said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, spokesman for Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.

“We are now waiting for the ICJ to request a legal advisory opinion on the Israeli system,” he said. “Resorting to international institutions is a Palestinian right, and we will continue to join international bodies and institutions.”