Israel top court hears challenge to UNRWA ban

The High Court of Justice questioned on Monday whether a petition challenging legislation restricting UNRWA's operations had established the factual basis needed for constitutional review. With all three judges repeatedly asking for evidence of concrete harm caused to an identifiable person, Justice Ofer Grosskopf said the petition did not meet the initial threshold of showing harm to any particular individual.

The petition, filed by 10 Palestinian residents and legal organizations, challenges two laws passed in October 2024 and an amendment approved in December 2025, which prohibit UNRWA from operating in Israeli-recognized territory and restrict Israeli authorities' contact with the agency. The petitioners argue that the legislation violates the rights of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for education, healthcare, and other assistance.

However, the court has not yet ruled on the constitutionality of the legislation or withdrawn the petition.

Brief written by urgent.news from Jerusalem Post's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.