Maldives reaffirms support for Palestinian rights at ICJ

The Maldives will continue to advocate for the rights of the Palestinian people at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Deputy Attorney General Ahmed Usham said Thursday.

Speaking at the ICJ hearing on the request for an advisory opinion concerning acts committed in the occupied Palestinian territories, Usham reiterated the Maldives’ position. The Maldives had submitted a written statement on the matter in March last year.

During the hearing, the Attorney General underscored the importance of ensuring humanitarian aid reaches the occupied Palestinian territories and reaffirmed the Maldives’ support for the Palestinian people in their pursuit of fundamental rights.

Concerns were also raised regarding Israel’s actions aimed at dismantling the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

International legal representatives for the Maldives submitted a statement at the hearing. It noted that Israel had cited national security and military necessity as reasons to withdraw from international treaties. The submission also stated that the establishment of an independent and sovereign Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital remains the only viable long-term resolution to the conflict.

The case at the ICJ follows legislative decisions by Israel that aim to restrict the activities of UNRWA, affecting the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinian civilians.