Cairo, Jul 20 (IANS): Egypt and the Arab League welcomed the call of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to end Israel's "unlawful" presence in the occupied Palestinian territories.

In a statement, Egypt's foreign ministry called upon all international parties to uphold and implement the ICJ's advisory opinion, emphasising the need to facilitate the Palestinian people's legitimate right to self-determination, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, the top UN court issued a non-binding opinion declaring Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem as violations of international law, urging Israel to withdraw from the occupied territories "as rapidly as possible."

Egypt also urged the UN General Assembly and Security Council to take necessary measures to end Israel's presence in Palestinian territories, underscoring the collective responsibility of all nations to alleviate the plight of the Palestinian people and halt ongoing Israeli violations and attacks in Gaza.

Meanwhile, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (AL) Ahmed Aboul-Gheit echoed Egypt's sentiments, welcoming the ICJ's advisory opinion in a separate statement.

Aboul-Gheit asserted that the court's opinion serves as a crucial legal foundation for affirming the Palestinian narrative, providing it with necessary legitimacy and legal credibility amid Israel's attempts to distort the conflict's nature and origins.

The Arab League chief emphasised the advisory opinion's substantial legal and moral weight as compelling evidence to counter Israeli arguments, highlighting its pivotal role in the ongoing discourse.

However, Israel rejected the ICJ's opinion. In a press statement on Friday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded that "the legality of Israeli settlements in all the territories of our homeland cannot be contested."

He emphasised Israel's historical connection to the land, stating that "the Jewish people are not conquerors in their own land."

The ICJ issued the advisory opinion in response to a request from the UN General Assembly regarding the legal implications of Israel's occupation.

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution in December 2022 seeking the ICJ's opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Middle East war and has controlled them ever since, despite international protests over its occupancy in these areas.