ISTANBUL 

Egypt and Kuwait on Friday expressed their support for the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which affirmed the Palestinian right to self-determination and called for the evacuation of Israeli settlements on occupied lands. 

The ICJ in its opinion, in response to a 2022 request by the UN General Assembly, said Israel's decades-long occupation of West Bank and East Jerusalem is "unlawful" and should be brought to an end "as rapidly as possible."

It said Israel should cease all new settlement activities, and evacuate all settlers from the occupied Palestinian territory.

Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem since 1967, and has built and expanded illegal settlements.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said “the ICJ's advisory opinion deemed the continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories illegal as it violates the Palestinians' right to self-determination.”

It called on Israel to end the occupation promptly, halt any new settlement activities, and evacuate all existing settlements.

The ministry also urged international parties “to respect and implement the ICJ's advisory opinion, assist the Palestinian people in exercising their right to self-determination, and work to end the humanitarian suffering they endure.”

Kuwait's Foreign Ministry also stressed on the need for the international community to carry out its "legal, political and moral duties to achieve the aspirations of the brotherly Palestinian people to establish their independent state, and to stop the aggression against Gaza."  

*Writing by Mohammad Sio​​​​​​​