On 4 November, Israel officially informed the United Nations of its decision to cut ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) following the passage of two bills opposing UNRWA’s activities on Israeli territory. The new laws also designate UNRWA as a terrorist organisation and strip its staff of legal immunity. As many commentators (e.g. Eirik Bjorge), including state officials, have criticised, those bills seriously threaten the operational viability of UNRWA in the occupied Palestinian territory.
Palestine
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Statehood as an Incidental Issue in International Adjudication: Reflections on Palestine’s Intervention Request in South Africa v Israel
In December 2023, South Africa instituted proceedings against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) under the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (Genocide Convention). To date, ten third-party interventions have been submitted in the case. Eight states—Bolivia, Chile, Turkey, Spain, Mexico, Libya, Colombia,…
A Hands-Off Approach to International Law: The Frankfurt Administrative Court’s Stance on Arms Exports to Israel
Introduction: Facts and Background of the Case On 15 July 2024, five individuals from Palestine applied for interim legal relief before the Administrative Court Frankfurt against the Federal Republic of Germany. They challenged arms export approvals by the German Government to Israel and claimed that these endangered their bodily integrity and life. The applicants argued that…
The Discretion that Wasn’t: The ICJ’s Exercise of Judicial Propriety in its Latest Advisory Opinion
Some weeks ago, Nicholas Tsagourias published a piece on Articles of War blog, analysing the International Court of Justice’s (ICJ) recent advisory opinion on Israel’s practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. While other blogposts examined the opinion in substance, Tsagourias devotes his words to the Court’s discretion. According to him, compelling reasons should…
EJIL: The Podcast! Episode 28: Unlawful Occupation, Annexation and Segregation: The ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on Palestine
I invited three distinguished Palestinian lawyers to EJIL: The Podcast! to discuss the recent ICJ decision on Palestine. They had views. Joining me, Nehal Bhuta, on the podcast were Diana Buttu, lawyer and former PLO negotiation team member; Professor Ardi Imseis, Queen’s University Law School, Ontario; and Dr Nimer Sultany, Reader in Law, SOAS…