The executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) has said the International Court of Justice ruling had, for the first time, also found Israel responsible for instituting “apartheid” against Palestinians.

The ruling should prompt a reassessment of the US defending Israel’s “oppression of Palestinians”, Tirana Hassan said, according to Al Jazeera. 

“In a historic ruling, the International Court of Justice has found multiple and serious international law violations by Israel towards Palestinians in the occupied Palestinian territory, including, for the first time, finding Israel responsible for apartheid,” Hassan said in a statement.

“The court has placed responsibility with all states and the United Nations to end these violations of international law,” she said.

“The ruling should be yet another wake-up call for the United States to end its egregious policy of defending Israel’s oppression of Palestinians and prompt a thorough reassessment in other countries as well,” she added.