Latest news with #International Court of Justice
The National
3 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Political solution without Palestinian statehood is 'cynical and illegal', says ICJ lawyer
With France saying it will recognise Palestine in September, making it the first G7 nation to do so, other countries such as the UK and Germany, which are holding out, have called for a political solution to the Palestine issue. That two-state solution between Israel and Palestine, however, cannot be reached without recognising Palestine as a state, Ardi Imseis, a professor of law at Queen's University in Canada, told The National. Mr Imseis is a former UN official and has represented states before the International Court of Justice, which last year found Israel to be under an obligation to end its unlawful presence in the occupied Palestinian territory and make reparations for the damage caused. "Recognition is a political prerogative of states," he said. They can urge for a political resolution to the problem without recognising one or the other states, Mr Imseis said, although that "does not make sense". "This is because if you have a two-state solution, one would assume you would need to have two states be part of that solution," he said. Under international law, the Palestinian people have the right to self-determination in a state of their own. "This right is peremptory and inalienable," he said. The international community has an obligation to help Palestinians realise that right, he added. "However, if states make the emergence of a Palestinian state contingent on successful negotiations with Israel, then, in effect, that places Israel in a position of holding a veto power over the exercise by the Palestinian people of their right of self-determination," he said. "It's a cyclical, cynical and ultimately illegal policy." Mr Imseis said that Israel was a "bad faith illegal occupier" with no intention to allow the establishment of a Palestinian state. Following France's announcement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lashed out at French President Emmanuel Macron and said that a Palestinian state would create a "launch pad to annihilate Israel". France, the US and the UK are three of the five members of the UN Security Council with veto power, if and when the next vote comes to admit the state of Palestine to UN membership. The US used its veto the last time such a vote took place, on April 18, 2024. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who is under increasing pressure from 220 Members of Parliament who wrote to him urging him to recognise a Palestinian state, said he does support the move. But, he said, it should be part of a "wider plan" which results in security for Palestinians and Israelis. At least 140 out of the world's 193 members of the UN General Assembly recognise Palestine as a state. In 2012, the General Assembly gave Palestine non-member observer state status. "That means, that within the UN system, the state of Palestine already exists," Mr Imseis said.
The Sun
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
‘Bonkers' UN court ruling may allow countries to sue each other for climate reparations
COUNTRIES could soon be able to sue each other for climate reparations after a 'bonkers' court decision. The International Court of Justice ruling paves the way for poorer nations to launch multi-billion Pound compensation cases against rich powers like Britain. 2 The move sparked fury last night, with the Tories branding the top UN court's proclamation 'insane' and Reform UK warning it hands a blank cheque to foreign governments. Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho said: 'We have to put Britain's interests first. 'The Government must make clear it sees no basis for this ruling to be acted upon.' Reform UK's Richard Tice fumed: 'This is another bonkers non-binding advisory judgment by the ICJ. 'They absurdly said we should give up the Chagos islands. 'They just hate us.' The judges said governments can be held responsible for climate damage — even if it stems from historic emissions pumped out decades ago. The court's opinion is non-binding, but legal experts say it could trigger real-world lawsuits as early as next week. The legal case was cooked up by law students from Pacific islands who claimed wealthy countries failed them. Flora Vano from Vanuatu island, said: 'The ICJ has recognised what we have lived through — our suffering, resilience and right to our future.' Keir Starmer's deranged drive for Net Zero with eco-zealot Ed Miliband is a threat to UK's national security- here's why The UK and others argued deals, such as the 2015 Paris Agreement, were enough but the court rejected that. Judge Iwasawa Yuji ruled not hitting the toughest climate targets would breach international law and said even countries outside the Paris pact must still protect the planet. He admitted it would be hard to determine who caused which part of climate change. Natural disasters, such as the 6.5-magnitude earthquake in Colombia in June, have also been linked to climate change. The ICJ's previous advisory ruling to hand back the Chagos Island to Mauritius was followed by the UK. 2
CTV News
6 days ago
- Politics
- CTV News
UN's top court says failing to protect planet from climate change could violate international law
An activist holds a fan that reads "make polluters pay" as they demonstrate outside the International Court of Justice ahead of an advisory opinion on what legal obligations nations have to address climate change and which consequences they may face if they don't, on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in The Hague, Netherlands. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The United Nations's top court announced Wednesday that if countries fail to take measures to protect the planet from climate change, they could be in violation of international law. The International Court of Justice delivered an advisory opinion in a landmark case about nations' obligations to tackle climate change and the consequences they may face if they don't, calling it an 'urgent and existential' threat to humanity. 'Failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system ... may constitute an internationally wrongful act,' court President Yuji Iwasawa said during the hearing. The court also said countries harmed by climate change could be entitled to reparations for the damage they have suffered from rising global temperatures, but what they are owed should be determined on a 'case by case' basis. The non-binding opinion, which runs to over 500 pages, is seen as a potential turning point in international climate law. The court said a 'clean, healthy and sustainable environment' is a human right. Enshrining a sustainable environment as a human right paves the way for other legal actions, including states returning to the ICJ to hold each other to account as well as domestic lawsuits, along with legal instruments like investment agreements. The case is led by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu and backed by more than 130 countries. All UN member states including major greenhouse gas emitters like the United States and China are parties to the court. Outside the court, climate activists gathered with a banner that read: 'Courts have spoken. The law is clear. States must ACT NOW.' The courtroom, known as the Great Hall of Justice, was packed. After years of lobbying by vulnerable island nations who fear they could disappear under rising sea waters, the UN General Assembly asked the ICJ in 2023 for an advisory opinion, an important basis for international obligations. A panel of 15 judges was tasked with answering two questions: What are countries obliged to do under international law to protect the climate and environment from human-caused greenhouse gas emissions? Second, what are the legal consequences for governments when their acts, or lack of action, have significantly harmed the climate and environment? 'The stakes could not be higher. The survival of my people and so many others is on the line,' Arnold Kiel Loughman, attorney general of the island nation of Vanuatu, told the court during a week of hearings in December. In the decade up to 2023, sea levels rose by a global average of around 4.3 centimetres (1.7 inches), with parts of the Pacific rising higher still. The world has also warmed 1.3 degrees Celsius (2.3 Fahrenheit) since preindustrial times because of the burning of fossil fuels. Vanuatu is one of a group of small states pushing for international legal intervention in the climate crisis, but it affects many more island nations in the South Pacific. 'The agreements being made at an international level between states are not moving fast enough,' Ralph Regenvanu, Vanuatu's minister for climate change, told The Associated Press. Activists could bring lawsuits against their own countries for failing to comply with the decision. 'What makes this case so important is that it addresses the past, present, and future of climate action. It's not just about future targets -- it also tackles historical responsibility, because we cannot solve the climate crisis without confronting its roots,' Joie Chowdhury, a senior attorney at the Center for International Environmental Law, told AP. The United States and Russia, both of whom are major petroleum-producing states, are staunchly opposed to the court mandating emissions reductions. But those who cling to fossil fuels could go broke doing it, the UN secretary-general told The Associated Press in an exclusive interview this week. Simply having the court issue an opinion is the latest in a series of legal victories for the small island nations. Earlier this month, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights found that countries have a legal duty not only to avoid environmental harm but also to protect and restore ecosystems. Last year, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that countries must better protect their people from the consequences of climate change. In 2019, the Netherlands' Supreme court handed down the first major legal win for climate activists when judges ruled that protection from the potentially devastating effects of climate change was a human right and that the government has a duty to protect its citizens. ___ Molly Quell, The Associated Press Associated Press writer Annika Hammerschlag in Vanuatu contributed to this report. The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
Malay Mail
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
Dewan Rakyat to address Middle East geopolitics, maritime disputes and subsidy cuts
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The government's short-term and long-term action plans in addressing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are among the focus of today's Dewan Rakyat sitting. According to the Order Paper available on the Parliament's official website, Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) will bring the matter up to the Prime Minister during the Minister's Question Time. Also, Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) will ask the Prime Minister about how the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2002 regarding the sovereignty of Ligitan and Sipadan Islands may influence the determination of maritime boundaries between Malaysia and Indonesia in the Sulawesi Sea, including the sovereignty over blocks ND6 (Block Y) and ND7 (Block Z). During the Question for Oral Answers session, Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok) will seek an explanation from Investment, Trade and Industry Minister regarding government measures in addressing the United States tariff issue with the involvement of state governments, while Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN-Pekan) will ask the Agriculture and Food Security Minister about the savings through the reduction in subsidy expenditure and the impact on the egg market. Following the question answer session, the sitting will continue with the first reading of the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025, the second reading of the Street, Drainage and Building (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) 2025. The Second Meeting Of The Fourth Session Of 15th Parliament is scheduled for 24 days with the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan on July 31. — Bernama
Malay Mail
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
In Dewan Rakyat today: Middle East geopolitics, maritime disputes and subsidy cuts
KUALA LUMPUR, July 22 — The government's short-term and long-term action plans in addressing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East are among the focus of today's Dewan Rakyat sitting. According to the Order Paper available on the Parliament's official website, Mohd Sany Hamzan (PH-Hulu Langat) will bring the matter up to the Prime Minister during the Minister's Question Time. Also, Datuk Seri Dr Ronald Kiandee (PN-Beluran) will ask the Prime Minister about how the decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2002 regarding the sovereignty of Ligitan and Sipadan Islands may influence the determination of maritime boundaries between Malaysia and Indonesia in the Sulawesi Sea, including the sovereignty over blocks ND6 (Block Y) and ND7 (Block Z). During the Question for Oral Answers session, Mohd Syahir Che Sulaiman (PN-Bachok) will seek an explanation from Investment, Trade and Industry Minister regarding government measures in addressing the United States tariff issue with the involvement of state governments, while Datuk Seri Sh Mohmed Puzi Sh Ali (BN-Pekan) will ask the Agriculture and Food Security Minister about the savings through the reduction in subsidy expenditure and the impact on the egg market. Following the question answer session, the sitting will continue with the first reading of the Poisons (Amendment) Bill 2025, the second reading of the Street, Drainage and Building (Amendment) Bill 2025 and the Whistleblower Protection (Amendment) 2025. The Second Meeting Of The Fourth Session Of 15th Parliament is scheduled for 24 days with the tabling of the 13th Malaysia Plan on July 31. — Bernama
