Israeli Supreme Court Urges Adalah to Withdraw Petition Against UNRWA Law

On Monday, the Israeli Supreme Court sharply criticized the petition filed by the Adalah organization against the UNRWA law, stating that the petition lacked factual and legal basis to prove rights violations. The judges recommended that Adalah withdraw the petition.

Justice Ofer Groskopf questioned the legal foundation of the petition, asking where the claimed rights violations were and whether the Knesset had exceeded its authority. Sohad Bashara, head of Adalah's legal department, argued that the law affects a vulnerable population receiving social safety nets from UNRWA for 70 years, including residents of Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza. Groskopf pressed for evidence of actual harm, noting that the affidavits submitted contained no proof of such damage.

Justice Gila Kanfi-Shtainitz questioned the legal obligation for Israel to continue cooperating with UNRWA, challenging the claim that the state cannot sever ties after decades of cooperation. Justice Yechiel Kasher also criticized the petition's foundation, stating that no affidavits were submitted after the law's enactment, meaning the petition lacked even a basic entry point for consideration.

Due to the petition's weak legal standing, the judges did not find it necessary to hear arguments from the state or the Knesset. They concluded by recommending that Adalah withdraw the petition against the UNRWA law.