Israeli Supreme Court Urges Dismissal of Petition Against UNRWA Ban in Israel

The Israeli Supreme Court sharply criticized a petition filed by the Adalah organization against the 2024 law that ended UNRWA's operations within Israel's sovereign territory. The law, passed by an overwhelming majority in the Knesset despite international pressure from the US and the UN, prohibits cooperation with UNRWA in areas such as the Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem and parts of the West Bank, though it does not apply to Gaza except for banning contact with the agency there.

During the hearing, the judges emphasized that the Knesset has the authority to revoke UNRWA's activities and noted that no evidence was presented showing harm to human rights. Justice Ofer Groskopf questioned the petitioners on the lack of concrete proof of worsening conditions since UNRWA's closure, highlighting that no individual claimed their situation had deteriorated. Adalah's legal director, Suhad Bashara, argued that vulnerable populations, including refugees in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, rely on UNRWA's social safety net, which has existed for 70 years.

The court also rejected claims that the state is obligated to cooperate with UNRWA, with Justice Gila Kanfi-Steinitz stating there is no legal basis for such a requirement. Justice Yechiel Kasher added that without recent affidavits or evidence, the petition lacks standing. The judges recommended that Adalah withdraw the petition, deeming it baseless and unnecessary to hear the state's response.

The 2024 UNRWA law was enacted amid concerns that the agency fosters incitement and antisemitism, citing reports that UNRWA schools in Jerusalem teach content glorifying terrorists and that UNRWA facilities in Gaza were used by terrorist groups to store and launch rockets during Operation Protective Edge. Coalition members, including Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Likud MKs Tali Gottlieb and Boaz Bismuth, criticized the court for holding the hearing, questioning the legitimacy of the petition against a law supported by 92 Knesset members.