Reuters – U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel in a letter that he could refer the country to the International Court of Justice if it does not repeal laws targeting U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA and return seized assets and property.
In a January 8 letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Guterres said the United Nations cannot remain indifferent to “actions taken by Israel, which are in direct contravention of the obligations of Israel under international law. They must be reversed without delay.
Israel’s parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency. It then amended that law last month to ban electricity or water to UNRWA facilities.
Israeli authorities also seized UNRWA’s East Jerusalem offices last month. The U.N. considers East Jerusalem occupied by Israel. Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be part of the country.
Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon on Tuesday dismissed Guterres’ letter to Netanyahu.
“We are not fazed by the Secretary-General’s threats,” Danon said. “Instead of dealing with the undeniable involvement of UNRWA personnel in terrorism, the Secretary-General chooses to threaten Israel. This is not defending international law, this is defending an organization marred by terrorism.”
