The United Nations General Assembly voted Thursday to ask the International Court of Justice for an opinion on Israel’s obligation to provide aid to the Palestinians, which is provided by nations and international groups including the United Nations. The Norwegian draft resolution was adopted by the 193-member committee with 137 votes in favor. Israel, the United States and 10 other countries abstained, while 22 countries abstained.
The move comes in response to Israel’s decision to ban the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA’s operations in the country since late January and other obstacles faced by other UN agencies in their aid work in Gaza over the past year.
The ICJ, also known as the World Court, is the highest court of the United Nations, and its advisory opinions carry legal and political weight, although they are not binding. The Hague-based court has no enforcement powers if its opinion is ignored.
The resolution passed on Thursday also expressed “serious concern about the dire humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territories” and “calls on Israel to uphold and abide by its obligations to prevent the Palestinian people from exercising their right to self-determination.”
The UN views Gaza and the West Bank as territory occupied by Israel. International humanitarian law requires the occupying power to agree on relief programs for people in need and to facilitate them “by all means” and to ensure food, medical care, hygiene and public-health standards.
The new Israeli law does not directly restrict UNRWA’s operations in the West Bank and Gaza. However, this will seriously affect UNRWA’s ability to work. Top UN officials and the Security Council describe UNRWA as the backbone of Gaza’s aid response.
To replace UNRWA?
In a letter to the 15-member Security Council on Wednesday, Israel’s U.N. ambassador, Danny Dan, called for “replacing UNRWA with relief plans that adequately provide much-needed assistance to Palestinian citizens.” Not impossible.”
“Israel is ready and willing to work with international partners (and already works tirelessly) to allow and facilitate the continued flow of humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza and to ensure the uninterrupted provision of these essential basic services, in a way that does not undermine Israel’s security.” ,” Denone wrote in a letter seen Reuters.
The United Nations has long complained about aid blockages in Gaza since the October 7, 2023, war between Palestinian militants Hamas and Israel. The United Nations blames the chaos in Israel and the enclave for hampering access to aid to Gaza and its distribution to Palestinians. War zone.
A committee of global food security experts warned last month that there was a “strong possibility of famine” in areas of northern Gaza.
Israel says the issue in Gaza is not a lack of aid because more than a million tons were distributed last year. It accused Hamas of hijacking aid. Hamas denies the allegations and accuses Israel of being shortchanged.
Israel has long had a strained relationship with UNRWA, but relations have further deteriorated over the past year.
Israel says UNRWA staff participated in a Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. The United Nations said nine UNRWA staff were involved and may have been fired. A Hamas commander in Lebanon – killed by Israel – also had a UNRWA job.
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