Jakarta. Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi is scheduled to speak against Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory at the International Court of Justice --also known as ICJ-- next month.

Last January, the UN General Assembly requested the ICJ’s advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israeli violations against the Palestinians. An ICJ advisory opinion is not binding, but the court claims it carries great legal weight and moral authority.

On Feb. 19, Retno will appear before the Hague-based international court to present Indonesia's arguments on this advisory opinion. Prior to flying to the Netherlands, Retno said she would consult with experts in a bid to make a more comprehensive legal opinion to show “Israel’s blatant violation of international law against Palestinians”.

“Indonesia supports what the General Assembly is doing to get an advisory opinion from the ICJ. We need to uphold international law. Palestinians’ rights to control their own lives must be respected,” Retno said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

“Israeli occupation in Palestine, which has been going on for over 70 years, does not eliminate the Palestinians’ rights to independence. Many Israeli policies, including its annexation of the Palestinian territories, settlements in the West Bank, and altering the status of Jerusalem is invalid according to international law,” Retno said.

She added: "We must stop Israeli unlawful actions. We call for accountability for all the violations that have happened."

Indonesia had already delivered a written statement on the advisory opinion last July. 

The track that Indonesia is currently undertaking is different from South Africa's case at the ICJ. Just last week, South Africa accused Israel of violating the UN's 1948 Genocide Convention for its violations in Gaza. Indonesia is not a party to the 1948 Genocide Convention, although Jakarta said that it would remain supportive of what South Africa had been fighting for at the court. 

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