UN General Assembly asks court to say what Israel needs to provide in Gaza
UNITED NATIONS — The UN General Assembly on Thursday approved a resolution asking the UN’s highest court to specify Israel’s obligations Gaza and the West Bank to provide humanitarian assistance essential to the survival of Palestinian civilians.
The vote on the Norwegian-backed resolution seeking advice from the International Court of Justice was 137 to 12, with 22 abstentions. The United States, Israel’s closest ally, voted against the resolution.
Resolutions of the 193-member General Assembly are not legally binding, although they do reflect world opinion.
It follows the condemnation of Israel by the International Court of Justice rule over lands it conquered 57 years ago. In a non-binding opinion in July, the court said Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territories is unlawful and called on Israel to end the occupation and immediately halt settlement construction.
Thursday’s resolution will also follow The Israeli laws were passed at the end of Octoberwhich will come into effect in 90 days, and will effectively ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, from operating in the Palestinian territories.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has stressed that no other UN agency can take on UNRWA’s role, and a UN spokesman reiterated on Thursday that under international law, Israel, as an occupying power, would be responsible for fulfilling the basic needs of Palestinians if UNRWA is banned. .
Norwegian Deputy Foreign Minister Andreas Kravik told reporters that the international community has a responsibility to respond to tens of thousands of deaths in Gaza and virtually its entire population. they suffer from acute hunger, and some almost from famine.
He said many countries, the UN and its agencies, and aid organizations are willing to step up their humanitarian efforts, but the problem is “that there is a lack of access.”
Israeli UN Ambassador Danny Danon told the meeting before the vote that its members were debating “the same recycled nonsense, where all that matters is attacking Israel and questioning Israel’s right to protect its citizens.”
“This time the Palestinians are using a new tool in this diplomatic circus: the International Court of Justice,” he said.
The resolution demands that Israel comply with all its legal obligations under international law, including those of the UN Supreme Court.
The Council expresses its concern about Israeli legislation on UNRWA and Israeli measures to hinder aid to the Palestinians.
The resolution seeks guidance from the International Court of Justice on additional questions about the July ruling, including what Israel’s obligations are “to ensure and facilitate the unhindered delivery of urgently needed supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population.”