Israel fears ICJ will side with Palestinians in Friday's West Bank ruling

Israeli officials fear the International Court of Justice (ICJ) will condemn its 'permanent occupation' of the West Bank in an upcoming ruling on the issue, Israeli media have reported, in a ruling that is expected to be damning of the Jewish state.

The ICJ on Friday will reveal the contents of a 18-month investigation into the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territory, which includes the opinions of over 50 countries about whether this breaks international law - a view taken by most countries.

A leading Israeli official believes the ICJ report will be "very negative" and fears the issue could be passed onto its sister legal body, the International Criminal Court (ICC), Haaretz reported, which could potentially see senior Israeli politicians and commanders prosecuted.

Israel has illegally occupied the West Bank since 1967, when it seized the land from Jordan, greatly expanding Jewish settlements in the area and making life for local Palestinians, there, unbearable.

Israeli forces have simultaneously intensified its deadly raids on West Bank towns and villages in recent years with 553 Palestinians, including 131 children, killed between 7 October and 7 July. 

There are widespread fears among NGOs that Israel's actions are designed to force Palestinians out of the West Bank and allow it to annex the territory.

The ICJ ruling comes after deliberations beginning in January 2023 after the United Nations General Assembly requested an opinion on the situation in the West Bank, which is widely believed to have greatly worsened for Palestinians since then.

If the UN court rules against Israel, then the US, Europe and others might take legal action against Israeli individuals and entities involved in the West Bank occupation, Israel fears.

The US, France, UK and others have already sanctioned Israeli settler leaders following a wave of often deadly violence against Palestinians in the West Bank, including a pogrom in the village of Hawara which left one local dead, with Palestinians' cars and property torched by the mob.

Israel is facing another case at the ICJ on its devastating war on Gaza, which South Africa and others say amounts to genocide.

While the court has not yet ruled on this in May it ordered Israel to end its assault on Rafah and to re-open the Rafah border crossing, with Gaza on the verge of famine.

The ICC chief prosecutor has also requested arrest warrants for senior Hamas and Israeli figures - including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - in a move that has angered the Israel and the US.

Israel has threatened to retaliate by targeting the Palestinian Authority, which governs parts of the West Bank, if the arrest warrant applications proceed.