UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned Israel that he could refer the country to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if it does not repeal laws targeting the UN Palestinian refugee agency and return seized assets and property, according to a letter sent to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In a letter dated January 8, Guterres said the United Nations cannot remain indifferent to what he described as “actions taken by Israel, which are in direct contravention of the obligations of Israel under international law. They must be reversed without delay.” reports Anadolu news agency.
Israel’s parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with it. The law was amended last month to bar electricity and water access to agency facilities. Israeli authorities also seized the agency’s offices in East Jerusalem, territory the UN considers occupied, while Israel regards all of Jerusalem as its capital.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed Guterres’ warning, saying on Tuesday, “We are not fazed by the Secretary-General’s threats. Instead of dealing with the undeniable involvement of UN agency personnel in terrorism, the Secretary-General chooses to threaten Israel. This is not defending international law; this is defending an organisation marred by terrorism.”
The UN Palestinian refugee agency was established in 1949 following the war surrounding the founding of Israel and provides aid, health care, and education to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Top UN officials and the Security Council have described it as the backbone of the humanitarian response in Gaza, where Israel’s two-year war has created a catastrophic situation for civilians.
In October 2025, the ICJ issued an advisory opinion stating that Israel is obliged to ensure the basic needs of the civilian population in Gaza are met. The advisory opinion, requested by the UN General Assembly, carries legal and political weight but is not binding, and the ICJ has no enforcement authority.
Guterres’ letter underscores ongoing tensions over the agency’s operations and comes amid broader scrutiny of Israel’s treatment of Palestinians in occupied territories. The UN Secretary-General has urged that all actions targeting the agency be reversed immediately to comply with international obligations.
