12 December 2025

Eightieth Session,
61st Meeting (AM)

By a recorded vote of 139 in favour to 12 against with 19 abstentions, the General Assembly today adopted a resolution welcoming the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on Israel’s obligations in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Issued on October 22 this year, the opinion is in response to the Assembly request for such an opinion, as expressed in its resolution 79/232 from December 2024.  Today’s resolution, “Advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice on the Obligations of Israel in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory” (document A/80/L.26), demanded that Israel comply with all its legal obligations under international law, including as stipulated by the Court.

These include its obligations as an occupying Power and as a Member of the United Nations, including the general obligation to administer the territory for the benefit of the local population and the obligation to cooperate in good faith with the UN.  The text also demanded that Israel immediately allow and facilitate the provision of life-saving humanitarian assistance and basic services to the Palestinian civilian population, including relief provided by the United Nations and its entities, in particular the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), other international organizations and third States.

Introducing that text on behalf of a cross-regional group of States, the representative of Norway said:  “Sadly, recent developments highlight the urgency and relevance of the Court’s clarifications.”  She highlighted the recent unauthorized entry of Israeli authorities into the UN Sheikh Jarrah compound held by UNRWA, in occupied East Jerusalem.

Recalling UNRWA’s origins in early initiatives to provide relief following the large-scale displacement of Palestine refugees in 1948, she welcomed the Court’s recognition of the Agency’s indispensable role.  The UN “cannot accept impediments that hinder humanitarian access and disrupt planned operations, be they in Palestine or anywhere else”, she stressed.  The resolution “is not directed against any State or entity”, it is conceived to protect the most fundamental humanitarian norms, she added.

Israel and United States:  Text Is One-Sided, Flawed

However, Israel’s delegate, who called for today’s vote, described it as a “one-sided, deeply flawed” draft resolution, which weaponizes the International Court of Justice and asks Israel to place its trust in Hamas-infiltrated UNWRA.  Speaking in explanation of vote before vote, he said:  “It does not advance peace [and] it does not reflect the reality we see on the ground.”

He added that the text mentions the 7 October 2023 attack on Israel — the worst attack against Jews committed since the Second World War — in just 28 words buried across more than 3,000.  He also spoke of a young man kidnapped from Israel by a Hamas operative who was also an UNRWA employee, with his body paraded around Gaza on a UN vehicle — the terrorist who murdered him was not met with condemnation but with a “UN pay cheque”.

“This is not a few bad apples — the poison goes straight to the core,” he said, and Israel cannot continue to work with such an organization.  Many other international aid delivery organizations exist, he said, adding: “We are done with UNRWA.”

Along similar lines, the representative of the United States said:  “UNRWA is a subsidiary of Hamas”, and the idea that any nation could be compelled by the Assembly to work with any organization is an infringement on sovereignty.  UNRWA will play absolutely no role going forward in Gaza, he said, adding that advisory opinions are not binding, and the Court’s ruling is baseless and “devoid of judicial restraint”.  Highlighting “positive developments” and President Trump’s “historic leadership”, he said the war in Gaza has ended and aid is flowing there.  “This is the wrong time for this flawed, one-sided resolution,” he said.

Cuba:  United States Is Israel’s Accomplice in Genocide Campaign in Gaza

But Cuba’s representative, who voted in favour of the text, said the United States is Israel’s accomplice in the genocide campaign in Gaza.  The contempt of Israel’s Government for international law is obvious but it must comply with the terms of the ceasefire agreement, she said, rejecting the manipulation of humanitarian aid as a weapon of war.  She also expressed reservations about the contents of preambular paragraph 13, spotlighting the role played by the United States.

Syria, on Behalf of Arab States Hosting Palestine Refugees:  Call to Transfer UNRWA Responsibilities to Host States Undermines Agency’s Mandate

Speaking on behalf of Arab States hosting Palestine refugees, Syria’s delegate condemned the Israeli occupying forces’ raid last Monday on UNRWA headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah in occupied Jerusalem.  Highlighting the seizure of its equipment, the cutting off of water and electricity from its facilities, the removal of the UN flag and the raising of the Israeli flag, he said:  “This step is aimed at confiscating the headquarters, thereby turning it into a new settlement”.

Welcoming last week’s Assembly decision to renew UNRWA’s mandate for three additional years, he also expressed dissatisfaction with the call for transfer of UNRWA’s responsibilities to host States, as recommended in Ian Martin’s report.  [Mr. Martin was appointed by the Secretary-General as Head of the Strategic Assessment of UNRWA and his report was published in June 2025.]  “Our countries shoulder the vast majority of the burden as we’ve hosted Palestinian refugees since their displacement for decades,” he said, rejecting any attempt to undermine UNRWA’s mandate, and stressing that it is not a political agency but a humanitarian one.

Canada’s delegate said her delegation voted in favour of the draft resolution in line with its support for both UNRWA and the International Court of Justice.  Canada has provided more than $400 million in aid to Gaza since October 2023 and will continue to support its reconstruction and recovery, she added.

Singapore’s delegate, who voted in favour, stressed that the summary of the advisory opinion in the resolution cannot replace the opinion itself.  Operative paragraphs 4a and 4b of the draft resolution — which are based on paragraphs 177 and 179 of the opinion — should be read together with paragraph 184 of the opinion, where the Court reiterated that “States possess the sovereign power of decision with respect to their acceptance of the headquarters or regional office of an organization within their territories”.

Germany voted in favor even though “this has not been an easy decision for us”, its delegate said.  Noting that UNRWA has taken steps to implement recommendations by the Independent Review Group, he said more substantial reforms are urgently required and “they need to happen now”.

While welcoming the adoption, the Russian Federation’s delegate added that all delegations must “pragmatically approach the institution of advisory opinions” — they do not and cannot create international legal obligations per se.

Bulgaria’s delegate, who abstained in the vote, said her country remains committed to a two-State solution and diplomacy.  She expressed concern that the resolution falls short of facilitating this.

/…

 

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Document symbol: GA/12743
Document Type: Meeting coverage
Document Sources: General Assembly
Subject: Assistance, Ceasefire, Gaza Strip, Genocide, International Court of Justice, Occupying Power, Refugees and displaced persons, UNRWA
Publication Date: 12/12/2025
URL source: https://press.un.org/en/2025/ga12743.doc.htm