US judge dismisses lawsuit accusing UN

4/10/2025 5:58

A U.S. judge dismissed a lawsuit by dozens of Israelis who accused the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees of funneling more than $1 billion that aided Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.



A U.S. District Judge Analisa Torres in Manhattan said the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) had "absolute immunity" from the lawsuit because it is a subsidiary of the United Nations, which has immunity from such lawsuits.



In her decision made public on Wednesday, Torres also rejected an argument that UNRWA was merely a "specialized agency" not entitled to immunity.



She cited U.N. lawyers who said subsidiaries such as UNRWA that have considerable autonomy are not "completely independent" because their parent entities can change their structures or close them.



A lawyer for the plaintiffs, said on Friday his clients plan to appeal.



UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and several current and former agency officials were also defendants.