• An Italian court ruled that the occupied Palestinian city of al-Quds cannot be recognised as Israel’s capital, stating that this would violate international law.
• Pro-Palestinian organisations and human rights advocates welcomed the decision, aligning it with UN resolutions that invalidate Israel’s claim to Jerusalem.
An Italian court has ruled that the occupied Palestinian city of al-Quds cannot be recognised as the “capital” of Israel, reaffirming that such a designation would violate international law. The ruling was grounded in global legal principles.
The Rome Court stated that acknowledging Jerusalem as Israel’s capital would contradict Italy’s commitment to ‘peace and neutrality,’ as well as ‘its obligations to support a fair resolution’.
Pro-Palestinian organisations and human rights advocates hailed the ruling, seeing it as a reinforcement of international legal standards that uphold Palestinian rights. They argued that unilateral recognition of al-Quds as Israel’s capital undermines peace prospects and legitimises Israeli actions in occupied territories.
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine, praised the decision, describing it as an “important” step and urging the international community to cease calling Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. The ruling aligns with UN resolutions, such as Security Council Resolution 478, which deem Israel’s claim to al-Quds invalid and advise against the establishment of diplomatic missions there.
Meanwhile, over 700,000 Israeli settlers live in more than 230 settlements built since the 1967 Israeli occupation of the West Bank and East al-Quds, all of which are regarded as illegal under international law and the Geneva Conventions.
