UN and ICC under attack by Israel: Reports suggest Israeli forces have launched attacks on these international institutions, sparking global outrage.
Things Heating Up: Israel Skips ICJ Hearing Over Bias Claims
Israel has chosen to sit out a hearing at The Hague's International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding its duties in the Palestinian territories. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, speaking in Jerusalem, fired a broadside at the United Nations, specifically the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, accusing it of a heavy bias against Israel. Saar claims UNRWA has been infiltrated by the Islamic terrorist group Hamas.
Grappling with this accusation, the organization continues its operations unabated. The UN General Assembly instructed the ICJ, the United Nations' highest court, to issue an advisory opinion on Israel's obligations as an occupying power to allow international humanitarian and development aid. Over 40 nations have expressed intentions to present statements.
Aid to Gaza on Hold Since Mid-March
The Gaza Strip finds itself in the grip of a catastrophic humanitarian crisis, according to UN reports. Israel instituted a border blockade for aid shipments into Gaza Strip as early as mid-March. Israel asserts this move is aimed at increasing pressure on the Islamic group Hamas to release hostages. Allegedly, Hamas seizes aid goods by force and resells them to the civilian population at inflated prices. Saar asserts that humanitarian aid serves as Hamas's primary source of income.
UNRWA Work Ban Imposed
Israel asserts that UNRWA employed over 1,400 known terrorists, some of whom were involved in a massacre in Israel on October 7, 2023. The work ban on UNRWA took effect in January, however, the agency remains operational.
Unfairly Targeted
Saar stated in Jerusalem, "We've decided to pass on this clown show." He labeled it as "another tactic to politicize and manipulate legal proceedings to single out Israel." The minister added, "The aim here is to strip Israel of the fundamental right to self-defense."
Saar laid the blame for Israel's absence at the feet of the United Nations, claiming it has shown systemic bias against Israel. Saar railed against the UN, accusingly labeling it as "a rotten, anti-Israel, and anti-Semitic organization"[1][3]. Israel's stance underscores its belief that international institutions frequently unfairly scrutinize its policies, particularly those involving the Palestinian territories[1][3].
- The Israeli Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, has accused UNRWA of a heavy misuse by Islamic terrorist groups like Hamas, particularly in the year 2023.
- Israel has skipped a hearing at The Hague's International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2023, claiming bias against Israel and accusing UNRWA of infiltration by terrorists.
- In January 2023, Israel imposed a work ban on UNRWA, claiming that over 1,400 known terrorists were employed by the agency.
- Israel's Foreign Minister, Gideon Saar, has labeled the ICJ hearing as a politicized clown show, aimed at stripping Israel of the fundamental right to self-defense, and has accused the United Nations of systemic bias against Israel in war-and-conflicts, politics, and general news.
