Overview
- António Guterres told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Jan. 8 letter that he could seek an International Court of Justice referral if Israel does not repeal anti‑UNRWA laws and return seized property.
- The Knesset’s 2024 ban on UNRWA was expanded last month to allow cutting electricity and water to agency sites, and Israeli authorities seized UNRWA’s Sheikh Jarrah compound in East Jerusalem.
- The UN on Jan. 15 condemned Israeli authorities’ Jan. 12 entry into UNRWA’s Jerusalem Health Centre and its 30‑day closure order, citing the 1946 convention that deems UN premises inviolable.
- UNRWA officials say planned utility shutoffs in East Jerusalem will disrupt clinics, schools and other services, with the Jerusalem health center described as the only primary care option for many patients.
- Israel’s UN ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the warning as unfounded, pointing to alleged UNRWA staff ties to terrorism, while the UN notes it has fired accused employees and is pursuing investigations.