Jerusalem [Israel], October 23 (ANI): Israel has “categorically rejected” the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) advisory opinion rebuking the country for restricting aid in Gaza, calling it “another political attempt to impose political measures against Israel.”
“Israel categorically rejected the ICJ’s ‘advisory opinion,’ which was entirely predictable from the outset regarding UNRWA. This is yet another political attempt to impose political measures against Israel under the guise of ‘international law,’” the Israeli Foreign Ministry wrote in a post on X.
Criticizing the UN’s top court, Israel claimed that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is “infested with terror activities,” alleging that some of its employees “directly” took part in the October 7 attack, which led to the kidnapping of several Israelis.
“Today’s ICJ advisory opinion should have called out the terrorist activity that UNRWA has been involved in: UNRWA employees directly took part in the October 7 massacre and continue to assist Hamas’s terrorist operations—all under the auspices of the United Nations. Hamas terror activity within UNRWA took place before the October 7 massacre, during the massacre, and after the massacre,” the post read.
Israel further said that it had provided the United Nations with “extensive evidence” proving that Hamas has infiltrated the organization, but that the matter was never fully investigated.
“Israel provided the UN with extensive evidence proving Hamas’s infiltration into UNRWA, but the UN has never investigated the full extent of that infiltration. To this day, UNRWA still employs more than 1,400 Hamas operatives. Israel will not cooperate with an organization that is infested with terror activities,” the post added.
Israel emphasized that while it upholds its obligations under international law, it rejects the politicization of such mechanisms, which it said harms the State of Israel.
The International Court of Justice, the UN’s top court, issued a landmark opinion on Wednesday (local time) rebuking Israel over its Gaza aid restrictions during the war, CNN reported.
The ICJ ruled that Israel, as an occupying power, is obligated to work with UN agencies to facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza. The opinion is a significant rebuke of Israel’s blockade imposed on the Palestinian enclave earlier this year.
The ICJ also stated that the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) has not violated impartiality rules and should therefore be supported in its relief efforts.
“The occupying power may never invoke reasons of security to justify the general suspension of all humanitarian activities in occupied territory,” said Judge Iwasawa Yuji of the ICJ while delivering the opinion.
Although the advisory opinion is non-binding, it is still expected to pressure Israel to cooperate with aid agencies, CNN reported. (ANI)
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