Qatar welcomes UN resolution referring UNRWA ban to ICJ

Qatar has welcomed the adoption of a resolution by the UN General Assembly requesting the International Court of Justice to issue a legal advisory opinion on the accusations by Israeli occupation authorities against the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) of terrorism, and their decisions to ban the agency's operations in the occupied territories.In a statement Saturday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs considered the adoption of the resolution, with a majority of 137 votes, as a reflection of the broad international rejection of the Israeli occupation authorities' decisions to ban UNRWA's activities in the occupied Palestinian territories.The ministry reiterated Qatar's warning that banning UNRWA's activities will lead to severe humanitarian and political consequences, particularly depriving millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria of its essential services, in addition to terminating the Palestinian refugee issue and their right to return to their homes and lands.It reaffirmed Qatar's support for UNRWA, stemming from its steadfast position in backing the legitimate rights of the brotherly Palestinian people, foremost among them their right to establish an independent state along the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.Meanwhile, the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) welcomed the UN General Assembly's decision to request an advisory opinion from the ICJ on Israel's obligations concerning the presence and activities of the UN, other international organisations and third states.In a statement, the OIC stressed that all measures and plans enacted by the Israeli occupation — particularly legislation affecting the presence, operations and immunities of the UN, its agencies and bodies, including UNRWA, as well as other international organisations and third states in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem — constitute violations of the UN Charter and relevant resolutions.These actions, the organisation warned, deprive the Palestinian people of essential aid and worsen the humanitarian crisis they face.The OIC also welcomed the General Assembly's adoption of another resolution affirming the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources.The OIC urged all states and international organisations, including the UN, its agencies, and bodies, to intensify efforts to end the Israeli occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their legitimate rights, including their right to self-determination and establishing an independent state along the June 4, 1967, borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.