Norway to ask ICJ to assess Israeli 'obligation' to facilitate foreign aid to Palestinians

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) – Norway’s government on Tuesday said it will put forward a UN General Assembly resolution to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a judgement on Israel’s obligations to facilitate aid to Palestinians that is delivered by international groups, including the United Nations, and states.

This came in response to Israeli parliament’s decision to ban the UN Palestinian refugee agency (UNRWA), which could affect its work in Gaza.

The government will also ask the ICJ to investigate other obstacles faced by other UN agencies in their aid work over the past year, Norway confirmed in a statement.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide warned that banning the UN agency would make the entire Middle East even more unstable.

“We believe this violates Israel's obligations under international law. It also undermines the work for a viable Palestinian state and a two-state solution,” Eide added.

“With this initiative, Norway wants to establish that no country can rise above its obligations under international law. We see similar trends in other countries - that leaders try to undermine humanitarian law and aid work in situations of crisis and conflict. We must stop this development,” expressed Eide. 

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Store emphasized in the same statement that the international community cannot accept that the UN, international humanitarian organizations and states “face systematic obstacles to being able to work in Palestine and provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinians under occupation.”

“It undermines the Palestinians' right to vital aid. We must react,” he added.

Store pointed out that the Israeli government makes it difficult for the Palestinians to get vital help and basic services, such as health care and school.

“The Knesset's decision, which in practice makes it impossible for UNRWA to work in Palestine, is a decision that will affect Palestinian civilians who live in deep need,” he said, adding the decision could have “dramatic consequences for millions of civilians.”

Since Israel launched war on Gaza on Oct. 7 nearly 43,000 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and over 100,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

More than a year into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide against Palestinians at the ICJ.