ANKARA 

The Arab League said Friday that Israel is legally obligated not to disrupt the operations of the agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

It emphasized the UN's permanent responsibility toward the Palestinian cause and the global duty to uphold Palestinian self-determination.

A statement by Mohamed Helal from the Arab League to the International Court of Justice (ICJ)'s hearing sessions said UN activities in occupied Palestinian territories, including the UN Women and UNICEF programs, are not merely carrying out humanitarian operations but fulfilling the UN’s enduring mandate "to safeguard Palestinian welfare until a just resolution is achieved."

He added that international aid and diplomatic recognition of Palestine are not "charity" but obligations for countries to take common and separate measures to support self-determination for Palestinians.

Stressing that Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, Helal said Israel’s legislative measures targeting UNRWA violate its duty under international law and, therefore, are unlawful.

The Arab League’s intervention challenged Israel’s escalating restrictions on UNRWA, framing them as part of a systematic effort to obstruct Palestinian rights.

Helal urged the ICJ to assess Israel’s conduct against its obligations under international law, and said "Israel is obliged not to hinder UNRWA's work."

Since March 2, Israel has closed Gaza’s crossings, blocking essential supplies from entering the enclave despite multiple reports of famine in the war-devastated territory.

The Israeli army renewed its assault on Gaza on March 18, shattering a Jan. 19 ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement with the Palestinian resistance group, Hamas.

More than 52,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza in a brutal Israeli onslaught since October 2023, most of them women and children.