The Legal Department of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) affirmed that the Israeli occupation authorities’ move toward withdrawing from several international organizations and agencies does not absolve them of their legal and political responsibilities. It stressed that such withdrawal does not grant Israel immunity from its obligations under the general rules of international law or the Charter of the United Nations. The Department framed this step within the context of recurrent “political blackmail” and the refusal to cooperate with bodies that do not align with the occupation’s agenda, particularly with regard to its plans targeting the Palestinian cause as a whole.
The Legal Department pointed to a clear convergence between the Israeli step and the recent U.S. decision to withdraw from 66 international organizations and agreements. It considered that the shared pretext—namely, that these organizations “no longer serve national interests”—reveals the true nature of American and Israeli schemes hostile to international law. This convergence, the Department said, confirms Washington’s use of “funding” as a weapon to pressure the international system and bend it to expansionist objectives that contradict the legal and humanitarian foundations upon which the international order was established.
The Department explained that the list of withdrawals directly targets bodies that have exposed Israeli practices in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Among the most prominent are: the Office of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict; UN Women; the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD); the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA); the Alliance of Civilizations; and humanitarian agencies (37 organizations), which the occupation has accused of “illegitimacy” for refusing to submit to its security dictates.
The Legal Department refuted Israeli attempts to evade accountability, basing its position on the following principles:
The principle of non-retroactivity of withdrawal: Pursuant to Article 70 of the 1969 Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, the termination of a treaty or withdrawal from it does not affect any rights, obligations, or legal situations that arose prior to the date of withdrawal. Accordingly, the occupation remains responsible for all violations committed during the period of its membership.
Peremptory norms of international law (jus cogens): Obligations relating to the prohibition of genocide, torture, crimes against humanity, and the right to self-determination are binding on all states, regardless of whether they are parties to a specific treaty.
Independence of judicial processes: In particular, Israel’s withdrawal from UN-affiliated organizations will not affect the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court or the International Court of Justice, both of which continue to examine Israeli crimes and violations.
The Legal Department of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine concluded by emphasizing that Israel’s contempt for UN organizations and agencies would not have been possible without extensive U.S. support and the international community’s failure to curb Israel’s rebellion against international legitimacy. It stressed that this reality necessitates collective international action to safeguard the credibility of the UN system and to defend international law and the values of justice. The Department warned against the double standards adopted by some states that barter these values for colonial interests, at a time when those very principles remain the sole hope for oppressed peoples seeking to build a world based on genuine cooperation and the collective interest, free from injustice.