Politics Israel boycotts hearing before highest UN court
Israel refuses to attend a hearing at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague. The issue at stake is Israel's obligations in the Palestinian territories.
28.04.2025, 11:44
SDA
Speaking to journalists in Jerusalem, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar made serious accusations against the United Nations and the UN Palestinian Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in particular.
Israel accuses the organization of being infiltrated by the Islamist Hamas. According to Israel, UNRWA employed more than 1,400 known terrorists, some of whom were involved in the massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel has banned UNRWA from operating, which came into force in January. However, the organization continues to operate.
The UN General Assembly had commissioned the ICJ, the highest UN court, to issue an expert opinion. It is intended to clarify what obligations Israel has as an occupying power in order to allow international humanitarian and development aid. More than 40 states have announced their statements.
Aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip stopped since the beginning of March
According to the UN, the Gaza Strip is experiencing what is probably the worst humanitarian crisis since the war began more than a year and a half ago. Israel closed all border crossings into the Gaza Strip for aid deliveries at the beginning of March. According to Israel, this is intended to increase the pressure on the Islamist Hamas to release the kidnapped hostages. Israel accuses Hamas of appropriating aid supplies by force and selling them to the civilian population at high prices. According to Saar, humanitarian aid has recently been Hamas' main source of income.
Israel accuses United Nations of strong one-sidedness
Saar said in Jerusalem that Israel had "decided not to take part in this circus". It was "another attempt to politicize and abuse the legal process in order to persecute Israel". The aim is to "deprive Israel of its most basic right to self-defense".
The United Nations is extremely biased against Israel, Saar said. "No other country - neither a democracy nor another regime - has been brought before the ICJ as often as Israel. No other nation is so systematically judged by double standards." The Foreign Minister also said: "If the ICJ continues to be misused for anti-Semitic purposes, it will lose its credibility and legitimacy."
