Israel insists: UN must face trial
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has strongly criticized the United Nations, asserting that both the UN and its refugee agency, UNRWA, should be held accountable at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rather than Israel itself. The...
TroibNews 
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar has strongly criticized the United Nations, asserting that both the UN and its refugee agency, UNRWA, should be held accountable at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) rather than Israel itself.
The ICJ commenced hearings on Monday, focusing on West Jerusalem's involvement in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The aim of these hearings is to determine whether Israel’s restrictions on UNRWA, which provides food, education, and medical services to Gaza's residents, violate international law, including the UN Charter.
During a press conference, Saar accused the UN of exhibiting “double standards” and asserted that Israel faces "systematic persecution and delegitimization" from the international organization. He stated, “I accuse UNRWA, I accuse the UN, I accuse the secretary general, and I accuse all those that weaponized international law” of undermining Israel's most fundamental right to self-defense, adding that “the UN and UNRWA should be on trial today, not Israel."
Furthermore, Saar denounced the New York-based institution as “a rotten, anti-Israel and antisemitic body.”
The Israeli government has chosen not to participate in the hearings, which will extend for a week, during which testimonies will be presented from 40 countries and four international organizations.
On Monday, a Palestinian representative asserted in court that Israel was killing and displacing civilians and targeting aid workers in Gaza. The following day, a representative from South Africa characterized the situation as one where “Palestinians are being subjected to atrocity, crimes, persecution, apartheid and genocide.”
In November, Israel labeled UNRWA a “terrorist organization” and severed ties with the agency. It has alleged that many of its workers have engaged in terrorism, including involvement in the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, which led to Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
While the UN has acknowledged some individual cases and dismissed nine workers suspected of ties to Hamas, it has refuted Israel’s broader claims.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the ongoing conflict has resulted in more than 51,000 Palestinian deaths, predominantly among civilians, including a substantial number of women and children.
The humanitarian situation in the region has significantly worsened due to an Israeli-imposed blockade, resulting in acute shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essential resources. International organizations have expressed deep concern over the crisis and its repercussions for the civilian population.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
The ICJ commenced hearings on Monday, focusing on West Jerusalem's involvement in the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The aim of these hearings is to determine whether Israel’s restrictions on UNRWA, which provides food, education, and medical services to Gaza's residents, violate international law, including the UN Charter.
During a press conference, Saar accused the UN of exhibiting “double standards” and asserted that Israel faces "systematic persecution and delegitimization" from the international organization. He stated, “I accuse UNRWA, I accuse the UN, I accuse the secretary general, and I accuse all those that weaponized international law” of undermining Israel's most fundamental right to self-defense, adding that “the UN and UNRWA should be on trial today, not Israel."
Furthermore, Saar denounced the New York-based institution as “a rotten, anti-Israel and antisemitic body.”
The Israeli government has chosen not to participate in the hearings, which will extend for a week, during which testimonies will be presented from 40 countries and four international organizations.
On Monday, a Palestinian representative asserted in court that Israel was killing and displacing civilians and targeting aid workers in Gaza. The following day, a representative from South Africa characterized the situation as one where “Palestinians are being subjected to atrocity, crimes, persecution, apartheid and genocide.”
In November, Israel labeled UNRWA a “terrorist organization” and severed ties with the agency. It has alleged that many of its workers have engaged in terrorism, including involvement in the October 7 attack by Hamas on southern Israel, which led to Israel's military offensive in Gaza.
While the UN has acknowledged some individual cases and dismissed nine workers suspected of ties to Hamas, it has refuted Israel’s broader claims.
According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the ongoing conflict has resulted in more than 51,000 Palestinian deaths, predominantly among civilians, including a substantial number of women and children.
The humanitarian situation in the region has significantly worsened due to an Israeli-imposed blockade, resulting in acute shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essential resources. International organizations have expressed deep concern over the crisis and its repercussions for the civilian population.
Thomas Evans for TROIB News
