UN General Assembly seeks ICJ opinion on Israel's obligations over Palestinian aid

Norwegian-drafted resolution was adopted by 193-member body, with 137 votes in favour

Palestinian children wait to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen in Khan Younis, southern Gaza. EPA

The UN General Assembly voted on Thursday to ask the International Court of Justice for an opinion on Israel's obligations to enable aid delivered by states and international groups, including the world body, to reach Palestinians in need.

A Norwegian-drafted resolution was adopted by the 193-member body with 137 votes in favour. Israel, the US and 10 other countries voted against the resolution, while 22 abstained.

The vote came after the Israeli government's recent decision to ban UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, from operating in the country from the end of January. The decision does not ban UNRWA from Gaza and the West Bank but it does affect its ability to carry out its work there.

Many UN officials, including Secretary General Antonio Guterres, have warned that there is no alternative to UNRWA for delivering much-needed aid to Palestinians.

Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, welcomed the vote calling it a "a new welcome milestone" that the majority of UN member states "stand in solidarity" with Palestinian refugees.

"Respect for international law must be upheld with no exceptions," he said on X.

The ICJ is the UN's highest court and its advisory opinions carry legal and political weight, although they are not binding. The Hague-based court has no enforcement powers if its opinions are ignored.

The resolution also expressed "grave concern about the dire humanitarian situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory" and "calls upon Israel to uphold and comply with its obligations not to impede the Palestinian people from exercising its right to self-determination".

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store said after the vote that "137 countries in the UN General Assembly have sent a powerful message. It is unacceptable for Israel to block the delivery of humanitarian assistance to Palestinians living under occupation".

In a letter to the 15-member Security Council on Wednesday, Israel's UN ambassador Danny Danon said that "replacing UNRWA with relief schemes that will adequately provide essential assistance to Palestinian civilians is not at all impossible".

Israel has long had tense relations with UNRWA, but ties have deteriorated further in the past year.

It has claimed that agency employees took part in the October 7 Hamas-led attack on southern Israel last year. The UN has said nine UNRWA staff may have been involved and that they have been fired.