THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) The United Nations highest court opens historic hearings Monday into the legality of Israels 57-year occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state, plunging the 15 international judges back into the heart of the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Six days of hearings are scheduled at the International Court of Justice, during which an unprecedented number of countries will participate, as Israel continues its devastating assault on Gaza .

Though the case occurs against the backdrop of the Israel-Hamas war, it focuses instead on Israels open-ended occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.

Palestinian representatives, who speak first on Monday, will argue that the Israeli occupation is illegal because it has violated three key tenets of international law, the Palestinian legal team told reporters Wednesday.

They say that Israel has violated the prohibition on territorial conquest by annexing large swaths of occupied land, has violated the Palestinians right to self-determination, and has imposed a system of racial discrimination and apartheid.

We want to hear new words from the court, said Omar Awadallah, the head of the U.N. organizations department in the Palestinian Foreign Ministry.

Theyve had to consider the word genocide in the South Africa case, he said, referring to a separate case before the court. Now we want them to consider apartheid.