United Nations’ immunities: abuses and disputes settlement

On 22 October 2025, the International Court of Justice delivered an Advisory Opinion concerning the obligations of Israel in relation to the presence and activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States in the occupied Palestin- ian territory. This article examines the implications of the Opinion for the regime govern- ing the privileges and immunities of the United Nations, with particular reference to the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). It analyses the notion of abuse of privileges and immunities and the institutional mechanisms established by the Convention on the Privileges and Im- munities of the United Nations to address such allegations. The article argues that the Convention requires disputes concerning alleged abuses to be addressed within the United Nations institutional framework and concludes that international law provides no legal basis for unilateral measures undermining the privileges and immunities of the Or- ganization.