United Nations Secretary General António Guterres sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tonight protesting against a new law that could effectively paralyze the United Nations agency responsible for aid to Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).
and prevent it from communicating and coordinating with Israeli authorities, which could essentially end its work in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Israel has long been at odds with UNRWA and .
The ban will take effect in three months.
In the letter, Guterres says the law could have “devastating consequences” for Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank because there is no reasonable alternative to UNRWA to provide the help and assistance these people need.
“I appeal to you and the Government of Israel to prevent such devastating consequences and allow UNRWA to continue carrying out its activities in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, in accordance with its obligations under international law,” he written Guterres.
The agency was created in 1949 by the United Nations General Assembly after the First Arab-Israeli War, soon after the creation of the State of Israel in May 1948 and the resulting mass displacement of Palestinians.
Guterres argued that, under international law, an occupying power must implement mechanisms to help people living in that occupied territory.
“Israel, as an occupying power, continues to have to ensure that the needs of the population are met,” Guterres wrote.
“If Israel is unable to meet those needs, it has the obligation to enable and facilitate the activities of the United Nations, including UNRWA, and other humanitarian agencies, until the needs of Palestinian refugees in the occupied Palestinian territories are met. they will be satisfied,” he added.
Norway will ask ICJ to “clarify” Israel’s obligations
Norway said Tuesday it will ask the United Nations International Court of Justice to clarify Israel’s obligations regarding aid to the Palestinians, a day after Israel banned the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees.
Norway said it “requests the International Court of Justice to rule on Israel’s obligations to facilitate humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian population, provided by international organizations, including the United Nations and states,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr said Store in a note.
He said Norway would submit a resolution to the United Nations General Assembly requesting that the International Court of Justice give an advisory opinion on the issue.
And, unlike other donors, it increased its aid to UNRWA in June despite controversy over the agency’s employees’ involvement in the Oct. 7 attack.
According to the Gaza Ministry of Health, since the Israeli assault on Gaza, more than 43,000 people have been killed in the enclave.
The October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which triggered the conflict, killed 1,200 people in Israel, including more than 250 taken hostage.
