UN Operations in Palestine After the ICJ's 2025 Advisory Opinion: Privileges, Immunities, Assistance

Sponsored by the International Organizations Interest Group of the American Society of International Law (ASIL), and co-sponsored by ASIL's International Courts and Tribunals Interest Group and the International Organizations Interest Group of the European Society of International Law.

In October 2025, the International Court of Justice issued an advisory opinion addressing the legal framework governing international organizations operating in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Court found that an occupying Power must respect UN privileges and immunities even in occupied territory, limiting unilateral measures affecting UN entities, personnel, premises, and assets. At the same time, the Judges sharply diverged on the scope of Article 2(5) of the Charter, specifically whether Member States must provide “every assistance” to the United Nations even when they contest its legality or mandate.

In this online discussion, Professor Mohamed Helal—the Arab League's counsel in the proceedings and Legal Adviser to Egypt's UN mission—will discuss how these two strands of the opinion interact, what they require of the occupying Power, and how they affect operational space for the United Nations. He will examine the practical implications for access, security, and institutional independence, as well as the broader consequences for the UN’s ability to carry out its mandates in complex conflict environments.

Speaker: Mohamed Helal, The Ohio State Michael E. Moritz College of Law

Moderator: Fiona Mangan, Justice + Security in Transitions