Purpose: To inform the report to be presented to the General Assembly in October 2025 for the 80th Session (UNGA80).
Background
The groundbreaking Advisory Opinion of 19 July 2024 on the Legal Consequences arising from the Policies and Practices of Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem by the International Court of Justice (Court or ICJ) highlights the legal obligations of states and international organisations to act against Israel’s unlawful occupation of Palestine. The Advisory Opinion and more recent UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/ES-10/24, which ordered Israel to dismantle its occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank including East Jerusalem by 13 September 2025, provided unequivocal direction concerning the responsibilities of third States and international organisations, including the UN system, with regard to Israel’s unlawful occupation.
Accordingly, both States and International organizations, including the United Nations,are under an obligation not to recognize as legal the situation arising from the unlawful presence of Israel in the occupied Palestinian Territory and, States not to render aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by the continued presence of Israel therein;
Action oriented recommendations for member states are highlighted in a statement from 24 UN Independent Experts issued on 18 September 2024 and the Position Paper issued by the United Nations International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem and Israel.
Objectives
The Special Rapporteur’s forthcoming report will investigate how States have taken to comply with the international erga omnes obligations stemming from the Advisory Opinion, particularly which measures they have taken not to aid and assist or contribute to Israel’s occupation and associated violations and crimes. This includes among others, accountability measures adopted, targeted sanctions, and other ways to end complicity in maintaining the occupation.
Conduct by International Organisations will also be considered.
Key questions and types of input/comments sought
The Special Rapporteur welcomes contributions from States and international organisations including UN agencies, as well as other authorities, including regional organisations, national human rights institutions, civil society organizations, academics, and other stakeholders, on any of the following issues:
What measures has Israel taken to ensure that its unlawful occupation in oPt is brought to an end, including withdrawal of troops, dismantlement of settlements, ending exploitation of Palestinian land and natural resources in Gaza, West Bank including east Jerusalem?
What measures have States and international organisations, including the UN, taken to ensure Israel’s occupation and its associated regime is recognised as unlawful and brought to an end by 13 September 2025?
Incidentally, what measures have States and international organisations, including the UN, taken to ensure compliance by Israel with international humanitarian law as embodied in the Fourth Geneva Convention pending the withdrawal of the occupation?
Specifically, what measures have States and international organisations, taken to “to:
distinguish in their dealings with Israel between the territory of the State of Israel and the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967” (para. 278).
not rendering aid or assistance in maintaining the situation created by Israel’s illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”?
What measures have the third States taken in regard to the following:
“the obligation to abstain from treaty relations with Israel in all cases in which it purports to act on behalf of the Occupied Palestinian Territory or a part thereof on matters concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory or a part of its territory”;
“to abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory or parts thereof which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory”;
“to abstain, in the establishment and maintenance of diplomatic missions in Israel, from any recognition of its illegal presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”; and
“to take steps to prevent trade or investment relations that assist in the maintenance of the illegal situation created by Israel in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.”
What mechanisms for holding Israel accountable, including the potential reconstitution or adaptation of frameworks such as the Committee against Apartheid, have States, international organisations, including international organisations considered or taken in this process?
What legal mechanisms and practical steps have Third States considered to ensure accountability with regard to the occupied Palestinian territory?
Any other relevant information which would assist the Special Rapporteur in drafting the report.
Next Steps
Input/comments may be sent by e-mail. They must be received by 15 July 2025 23:30 (Geneva time).
Email address: hrc-sr-opt@un.org
Email subject line: Input to the UNGA 80 report
Word/Page limit:
3000 words / 6 pages
Accepted file formats:
Word, PDF, Excel
Accepted Languages:
English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Italian
