Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: One martyr, three injured, in preliminary toll of Israeli strike on Southern Suburb.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent from airstrike locale: Strike was preceded by heavy presence of Israeli aircraft overhead.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: Israeli strike targets Southern Suburb of Beirut.
Ukrainian negotiator says met European, UK officials in Geneva.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: One martyr in Israeli strike on Aita al-Shaab.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strike targets town of Aita al-Shaab.
The White House: South Africa used its G20 presidency to undermine the group's founding principles.
US White House: South Africa refuses to facilitate a smooth transition of the G20 presidency
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Caracas: Several airlines are canceling flights to and from Venezuela until further notice
Al-Rashq: 'Israel' is fabricating pretexts to evade the agreement and return to a war of extermination, and it is the one that violates the agreement daily and systematically

Norway seeks ICJ ruling against 'Israel's' ban on UNRWA: The Guardian

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: The Guardian
  • 19 Nov 2024 19:50
3 Min Read

Norwegian officials argue that "Israel's" actions violate international law, including the UN Charter's provisions on the inviolability of UN premises.

Listen
  • x
  • Judges enter the International Court of Justice, or World Court, in The Hague, Netherlands, Thursday, May 23, 2024. (AP)
    Judges enter the International Court of Justice, or World Court, in The Hague, Netherlands, on May 23, 2024. (AP)

The Guardian reported on Tuesday that Norway has announced its intention to seek an International Court of Justice (ICJ) advisory opinion condemning "Israel's" recent legislation banning cooperation with the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).

The move comes as international concern grows over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the implications of "Israel's" new laws, which are set to take effect within three months.

Back in October, the Knesset passed two laws prohibiting UNRWA operations in Israeli-occupied territories, citing allegations that UNRWA staff in Gaza were involved in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood. In response, the UN launched an investigation, resulting in the dismissal of nine UNRWA employees. UNRWA reports that two-thirds of its premises in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged, and 243 of its staff members have been killed since the genocide began.

The legislation has drawn sharp criticism from Norway's Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, who stated, "The international community cannot accept that the UN and humanitarian organizations face systematic obstacles when delivering aid to Palestinians under occupation." Støre called for initiating proceedings to obtain an ICJ ruling to clarify "Israel's" obligations to facilitate humanitarian assistance.

Norway Rallies Support at the UN

Norway's deputy foreign minister, Andreas Motzfeldt Kravik, is consulting with UN member states to draft a resolution requesting the ICJ advisory opinion. The resolution is expected to be voted on at the UN General Assembly next month and has received growing support from Arab states and UNRWA itself.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini described the situation as one of the agency's darkest moments. "There is no alternative to UNRWA's services in Gaza," and no plan B, Lazzarini said, warning that the implementation of "Israel's" legislation would devastate millions of civilians already living in dire conditions.

Read more: UNRWA chief urges the world to prevent the agency's 'collapse'

Legal Precedent

Norwegian officials argue that "Israel's" actions violate international law, including the UN Charter's provisions on the inviolability of UN premises. A 2008-09 board of inquiry established that Israeli strikes on UNRWA facilities in Gaza constituted egregious breaches of UN immunity.

"Israel" ultimately compensated the UN $10.4 million for damages.

The UN has repeatedly directed "Israel", as an occupying power to facilitate aid delivery to Gaza. Yet, the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. In October, only 37 aid trucks reached Gaza, the lowest number on record, according to UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, who condemned "Israel's" restrictions as "totally unacceptable."

Read more: 'Israel' halts all commercial food imports to Gaza: Reuters

Norway's Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide warned that the Knesset's legislation would have severe humanitarian consequences and undermine regional stability. "This law not only impacts millions of Palestinians but also threatens the stability of the entire Middle East," he said.

  • UNRWA
  • genocide in Gaza
  • Philippe Lazzarini
  • ICJ
  • Norway

Most Read

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

Inside the Epstein-Rothschild web behind 'Israel’s' spy tech empire

  • Politics
  • 19 Nov 2025
Hamas fighters stand in formation as they prepare for the ceremony of Israeli captive hand over to the Red Cross in Nuseirat, central Gaza Strip, Feb. 22, 2025. (AP)

US plot for Gaza in shambles amid continued popular support for Hamas

  • Politics
  • 17 Nov 2025
Ukrainian political analyst Mikhail Chaplyha has written that Jolie was ‘called’ to Kherson in order to divert attention from Pokrovsk. (Al Mayadeen English; Illustrated by Zeinab el-Hajj)

Strategic cities fall to Russian forces in Donbass; Ukraine denies what is happening

  • Opinion
  • 16 Nov 2025
Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

Democracy at the civilizational crossroads: Critical analysis of bourgeois Democracy, its alternatives

  • Analysis
  • 19 Nov 2025

Coverage

All
In Five

Read Next

All
Nahdlatul Ulama chief faces removal over hosting pro-'Israel' speaker
Asia

Nahdlatul Ulama chief faces removal over hosting pro-'Israel' speaker

A boy tries to stand near missiles displayed in the National Aerospace Park of the Revolutionary Guard, just outside Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Key Israeli sites destroyed, nuclear docs moved to Tehran: Minister

Guy Pearce
Asia Pacific

Aussie actor 'disgusted' by Israeli 'disdain' for Palestinian life

Brigadier General Ali Jahanshahi, the newly appointed commander of the Iranian ground forces, in an undated photo (MNA)
Politics

Ali Jahanshahi appointed as new commander of Iran Army Ground Force

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS