In response to the genocide in Gaza that started in October 2023 (as identified by the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry), as well as Israel’s ongoing occupation and apartheid in Palestine, a growing number of investors and companies are divesting and cutting financial ties with Israel.

This is happening in the wake of growing international condemnation, not only of Israel’s actions in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Gaza, but also of the involvement of states, corporations, and other entities whose services or financial support may be facilitating these actions.

A wide range of international organisations and UN bodies, including the International Court of Justice (ICJ), have expressed serious concern regarding Israel’s conduct and the humanitarian, legal, and political consequences arising from the situation in Palestine.

On 19 July 2024, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion that found that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem is unlawful and prohibited under international law. The Court found that Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, along with its discriminatory policies and practices, violates the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

The ICJ also clarified that its findings carry legal implications for other states and entities. These include a duty to “abstain from entering into economic or trade dealings with Israel concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory or parts thereof which may entrench its unlawful presence in the territory.”