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UN Seeks World Court Opinion on Israel's Ban on UNRWA
(Reuters) Michelle Nichols - The UN General Assembly voted on Thursday to ask the International Court of Justice for an opinion on Israel's obligations to facilitate aid to Palestinians. The Norwegian-drafted resolution was adopted with 137 votes in favor. Israel, the United States and 10 other countries voted no, while 22 countries abstained. The move came in response to Israel's decision to ban the operation of UNRWA. Decisions of the ICJ, the UN's highest court, are not binding and the court has no enforcement powers if its opinions are ignored. In a letter to the UN Security Council on Wednesday, Israel's UN Ambassador Danny Danon said that "replacing UNRWA with relief schemes that will adequately provide essential assistance to Palestinian civilians is not at all impossible. Israel is willing and ready to work with international partners (and already does work tirelessly) so as to allow and facilitate the continued passage of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza, and to ensure the unhindered provision of these necessary basic services, in a way that does not undermine Israel's security." Israel has said the issue in Gaza was not a lack of aid because more than a million tons had been delivered during the past year. It accuses Hamas of hijacking the assistance.