The U.S. State Department has condemned an advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) that says Israel has a legal obligation to allow United Nations agencies, other international organizations, and third states to deliver aid to Palestinian territories.
In the advisory, the U.N.’s top court said that Israel is required to fulfil its obligations under international humanitarian law and unanimously agreed that this includes ensuring that Gaza’s civilian population has access to “essential supplies of daily life, including food, water, clothing, bedding, shelter, fuel, medical supplies and services.”
In a 10–1 vote, the court found that Israel should agree to and facilitate “by all means at its disposal relief schemes on behalf of the population” of Gaza including “relief provided by the United Nations and its entities, in particular the United Nations Relief and Works Agency [UNRWA] for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, other international organizations and third States.”…