Israel is bracing for an upcoming advisory opinion from the UN-affiliated International Court of Justice (ICJ) concerning the legality of its presence in Judea & Samaria (incorrectly referred to as the “West Bank”) and East Jerusalem. Set to be released on Friday, the opinion could declare Israel’s presence illegal due to demographic changes and de facto annexation efforts, potentially leading to calls for Israeli withdrawal from these territories. Israeli officials fear the ruling could be “very bad to catastrophic,” exacerbating Israel’s international standing and possibly resulting in additional sanctions.

The opinion could prompt the UN Security Council to consider sanctions, with the US’s response being pivotal. Should the court advocate for significant international pressure, individual countries may impose their own sanctions, reminiscent of the international response to South Africa’s apartheid era following a similar advisory opinion from The Hague.

This is a very significant development that could have disastrous results for Israel, Israeli citizens, and Israel’s economy, especially if sanctions ensue. Please intercede for Israel in these difficult times and pray for God’s wisdom for Israel’s leadership, government & military. Please also pray that this will not pass and that Israel will give a strong defense of its actions in Judea & Samaria as it pertains to Israel’s safety of its citizens from imminent threats of terrorism by Palestinian factions.