INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE
Peace Palace, 2517 KJ The Hague. Tel: +31 (0)70 302 23 23. Cables: Intercourt,
The Hague. Fax: +31 (0)70 364 99 28. Telex: 32323. E-mail address:
[email protected]. Internet address: http://www.icj-cij.org.
Press Release
Unofficial
No. 2004/5
3 February 2004
Legal Consequences ofthe Construction of a Wall in the
Occupied Palestinian Territory (reguest for advisory opinion)
Filing of written statements
THE HAGUE, 3 February 2004. The United Nations, 44 of its Member States, Palestine, the
League of Arab States and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference have filed written statements
within the time-limit fixed by the International CourtJustice (ICJ) by an Order of 19December
2004 in the case concerning Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied
Palestinian Territory (reguest for advisory opinion).
The time-limit fixed was 30 January 2004 (see Press Release 2003/44).
The United Nations Member States which have transmitted a written statement are the
following (in order of receipt): Guinea, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Cameroon, the Russian Federation,
Australia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Canada, Syria, Switzerland, Israel, Yemen, United States of
America, Morocco, Indonesia, France, Italy, Sudan, South Africa, Germany, Japan, Norway, the
United Kingdom, Pakistan, the Czech Republic, Greece, freland (on its own behalf and, separately,
on behalf of the European Union), Cyprus, Brazil, Namibia, Malta, Malaysia, the Netherlands,
Cuba, Sweden, Spain, Belgium, Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Senegal
and the Democratie People's Republic ofKorea.
History of the proceedings
On 8 December 2003, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted
resolution/RES/ES-10/14 (A/ES-1 O/L.16)in which, referring to Articl65 of the Statute of the
Court, it requested the International Courtustice to "urgently render an advisory opinion on the
following question:
What are the legal consequences arising from the constructionof the wall being built by
Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East
Jerusalem, as described in the report the Secretary-General, considerîng the rules and principles
of international law, including the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949, and relevant Security
Council and General Assembly resolutions?"
The request for an advisory opinion was transmitted to the Court by the Secretary-General
the United Nations in a letter dated 8 December 2003 which was received in the Registry on
l0 December 2003. -----------------------
-2-
On 19 December2003 the Court made an Order organizing the proceedings (see Press
Releas2003/44). lstated that the United Nations and itsiMember States, as well as Palestine,
were likely to fumish information on ali aspects raised by tHequestion submitted to the Court and
fixed30Januar2004 as the time-limit within which they cbutd submit written statements on the
question. It further 23xFebruar2004 as the date r9r the opening. of those hearings, and
invited the United Nations and its Member State1, as wel'las Palestine, to inform the Court's
Registry, 13 Februar2004 at the latest, if they intended to take part in the above-mentioned
hearings.
By two separate letters of 15 J2004rand 19January2004 respectively (see Press
Release2004/1and 2004/2)the Registry further informe<lthe League of Arab States and the
Organisation of the lslamic Conference that th~grourteteer request to participate in
the proceedings and that accordingly theyautho trsibzi~td the Court a written
statement within the time-l30Januar2004 and to participate in the hearings.
The text of the written statements is confidential at this stage of the proceedings. Should the
1
Court decide, pursuant to A106of its Rules, to make the written statements accessible to the
public, the text ofthese statements (without an~nnecumtxtemd) will be placed on the
Court's websitewww.icj-cij.orat the opening of the oral proceedings or at a later stage,
depending on the circumstances.
htformation Department:
Mr. Arthur Witteveen, First Secretary of the+31 70 302 23 36}
Mrs. Laurence Blairon and Mr. Boris Heim.,Informatibn O+f31 70 3023:37)
E-mail address: [email protected]
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Legal Consequences of the construction of a wall in the occupied Palestinian Territory - Request for Advisory Opinion - Filing of written statements