The spiritual leader of the Church of England called on governments to respect the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) ruling that Israel's occupation of Palestinian

territories is illegal, emphasizing that international law should be upheld consistently.

The ICJ, also known as the World Court, issued an advisory opinion last month stating that the occupation should be ended promptly. While this opinion is not legally binding, it holds significant influence under international law.

Israel's foreign ministry dismissed the opinion as "fundamentally wrong" and biased at the time. There was no immediate response to the Archbishop of Canterbury's remarks on Friday.

Justin Welby, who also leads the global Anglican Communion, asserted in a statement that the ICJ's opinion clearly deemed the occupation "unlawful" and called for its termination.

"In a world increasingly marked by violations of international law, it is crucial that governments worldwide reaffirm their steadfast commitment to all ICJ decisions, regardless of the circumstances," Welby stated.

While he did not specify the actions governments should take, Welby expressed his hope that U.N. member states would align their actions with the ruling.

Welby noted that from his numerous visits over the past decades, it was evident that the "system of military rule" imposed by successive Israeli governments in the occupied Palestinian territories amounted to "systemic discrimination."

The ICJ case originated from a 2022 request for a legal opinion by the United Nations General Assembly, preceding the Gaza conflict that began in October.

On October 7, Hamas militants crossed the border into Israeli communities, resulting in the deaths of over 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the capture of 253 individuals, according to Israeli reports.

Palestinian health authorities report that the subsequent Israeli ground and air campaign in Gaza has killed over 39,000 people, primarily civilians, and displaced most of the enclave's 2.3 million residents.

This statement by the Archbishop is the first such declaration by a leader of the Christian world condemning Israel. Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wikimedia commons.