EU IRGC resolution
Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, the IRGC, has warned Europe against moving forward with a resolution that calls for blacklisting the military organization as a terrorist entity. IRGC top commander Major General Hossein Salami urged European countries not to repeat their mistakes. He added, Iran is not concerned about such threats, even if they are carried out. Salami said the IRGC is a powerful force and will act accordingly. On Thursday, the European Parliament passed a resolution calling for designating the IRGC as a terror group. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian slammed the resolution, saying it runs counter to the UN Charter. He added the IRGC played a constructive role in the fight against Daesh in Iraq and Syria and stopped the terror group’s attacks on European capitals. Iranian lawmakers have introduced a motion that would blacklist armed forces of EU countries as terrorist entities if Europe implements its resolution.
ICJ Palestine case
The top UN court says it has officially received a request from the General Assembly to give an opinion on the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories. The International Court of Justice confirmed the request in a press release, without specifying a timeline. Last month, a UN General Assembly resolution asked the court to give advice on a number of Israeli measures. They include the regime’s settlement and annexation as well as altering the demography and the status of the city of al-Quds. The resolution was supported by 98 countries, against 17 no votes and 52 abstentions. Palestinians hailed it as a diplomatic and legal breakthrough, but Israel called it a despicable move. The Hague-based court’s rulings are binding, but it lacks power to enforce them. In 2004, the ICJ also ruled that the Israeli separation wall on the occupied territories was illegal.
Palestinian killed
Israeli forces have killed a Palestinian man near the occupied west bank city of Ramallah. His death brings to 18 the number of Palestinians killed in the west bank since the beginning of the year.