UN chief warns he could refer Israel to ICJ over laws targetting UNRWA

Al JazeeraCenterEN 3 min read 100% complete by Al Jazeera StaffJanuary 13, 2026 at 11:08 PM

AI Summary

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a January 8, 2026, letter that he may refer Israel to the International Court of Justice. This action is in response to Israeli laws targeting UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. In October 2024, Israel banned UNRWA from operating within its borders and occupied East Jerusalem, later amending the law to restrict utilities to UNRWA facilities. Israeli authorities also seized UNRWA's East Jerusalem offices last month. Guterres argues these actions violate international law and Israel's obligations to UNRWA, while Israel's UN ambassador dismissed the threat, accusing UNRWA personnel of involvement in terrorism. UNRWA was created in 1949 to provide aid to Palestinian refugees.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Gaza ×250% Danny Danon ×260% East Jerusalem ×370% International Court of Justice 70% Benjamin Netanyahu ×280% UN ×480% Antonio Guterres ×490% Israel ×11100% UNRWA ×9100%

Keywords

unrwa 100% israel 90% international court of justice 80% united nations 70% palestinian refugees 70% occupied east jerusalem 60% international law 60% seized assets 50% terrorism 40%