THE HAGUE (Palestine Foundation Information Center) The International Court of Justice (ICJ) will begin on Monday hearings in the case brought by Türkiye and 39 other countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Arab League, the African Union, and the United Nations against Israel over its decision to ban UNRWA’s activities in Palestine.
The hearings will continue for five days, and the judges will hear submissions from all countries joining in the case.
In December, 2024, 137 countries voted at the UN General Assembly in favor of referring the case to the ICJ, with only 12 countries opposing it.
On Saturday, the administration of US President Donald Trump decided to lift the immunity of the UN Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and no longer consider it part of the United Nations, allowing it to be prosecuted in US courts.
On Monday, February 17, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a law banning UNRWA and was approved by the majority of the Knesset members.
On October 28, 2024, the Israeli Knesset approved two laws prohibiting UNRWA from carrying out any activities inside 1948 occupied Palestine, revoking the privileges and facilities granted to it, and prohibiting any official contact with it.
The ban on UNRWA’s work in the occupied Palestinian territories came into effect On January 30. The ban prohibits UNRWA from operating any representative office, providing any service, or conducting any activity, directly or indirectly, in Palestine.
