Since construction began in 2002, the wall has disrupted ecosystems, interrupted the contiguity of the territory, destroyed livelihoods and separated families and communities, reads a press release issued by PENGON-Friends of the Earth Palestine on 9th July, 10 years after the ICJ’s advisory opinion. The construction of the wall has prevented Palestinian access to East Jerusalem, a traditional economic, social, cultural and religious center for Palestinian people.

The short film that follows focuses on the ten years since the ICJ declared the Israeli wall illegal and the recommendations issued to the international community.

The advisory opinion urged all countries in the world not to recognize the illegal wall. A decade after the resolution, the wall is still under construction, thus worsening the humanitarian situation in the region, as well as the environmental racism by the Israeli government against the Palestinian state.

“Ten years later, the Wall and its associated regime of settlements continue to grow in Palestine, embodying a massive instrument of land annexation, pillage of natural resources and displacement. The Wall marks the final brick in Israel’s apartheid project that defines the segregated enclaves to which the Palestinians are to be confined”, says PENGON in its press release.

There follows the press release issued by PENGON-Friends of the Earth Palestine:

Ten years ago on 9 July 2004, the International Court of Justice issued its ‘Advisory Opinion on the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”, which declared the Apartheid Wall in the West Bank illegal under international law. The Court was clear: it demanded the Wall be torn down, sanctioned Palestinian rights once again and called on the international community to enforce Israeli compliance. The Court found that the construction of the Wall, including in and around East Jerusalem, and its associated regime, to be contrary to international law and that Israel is under obligation to cease, among other things, construction of the wall and to dismantle sections already constructed.

Since construction began in 2002, the wall has transformed the physical and human landscape of the West Bank. It has disrupted ecosystems, interrupted the contiguity of the territory, destroyed livelihoods and separated families and communities. The wall and its associated regime remains today the single largest obstacle to Palestinian movement in the West Bank, cutting people off from homes, lands and services, as well as traditional economic, social, cultural and religious centers, including East Jerusalem. With an average population of 27 per cent Palestine refugees, some 170 communities in the West Bank are directly affected by the wall.

What has followed has been another decade of injustice and continued impunity with a lack of accountability for unlawful Israeli actions. Ten years later, the Wall and its associated regime of settlements continue to grow in Palestine, embodying a massive instrument of land annexation, pillage of natural resources and displacement. The Wall marks the final brick in Israel’s apartheid project that defines the segregated enclaves to which the Palestinians are to be confined.

The decision of the International Court of Justice stated three obligations:

1) For Israel to tear down the Wall, undo all laws and regulations related to its construction and make reparations for the damage created.

2) For the international community not to recognize, aid and assist:

the Wall,
the regime associated with it (including the settlement project),
the maintenance of the situation created by it.
This implies a clear call not to finance or otherwise support any activity related to the above.

3) For the international community to take effective action to end Israeli violations of international law, which may include sanctions.

We encourage you to raise awareness about the Wall and its impact on the Palestinian people and our struggle for justice; and pressure your government to respect its obligations as outlined in the ICJ decision.

Click on the following link to view a short clip commemorating the 10th anniversary of the ICJ ruling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MjK6kSMizn8&feature=youtu.be