Israel‘s parliament overwhelmingly approved a bill banning the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) from operating in the country. The decision was made despite objections from the US and the United Nations. The text was approved with 92 votes in favor and 10 against in the 120-member Knesset, causing international outcry.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres reiterated that there is no “alternative” to the service: it is “out of the box”. The implementation of the law, according to Mr. Guterres, would have “disastrous consequences for Palestinian refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, which is unacceptable».
«There is no alternative to UNRWA“, he insisted, and the implementation of the laws approved by the Knesset “would be detrimental to the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and peace and security in the region as a whole. As I have said in the past, UNRWA is one of a kind».
In addition, the UN Secretary General added that he will raise the issue at the General Assembly of the international organization.
The Security Council, with the vote of the US, Israel’s historic ally, had warned the Netanyahu government against this law.
UNRWA’s response
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East itself denounced the “scandalous” bill against him. He explained that it is the most important factor in humanitarian operations in the Gaza Strip, the besieged Palestinian enclave that has suffered massive destruction after more than a year of war between Israel and Hamas.
UNRWA head Philippe Lazzarini condemned the ban, which “sets a dangerous precedent” and would “exacerbate the plight of Palestinians”.
UNRWA media adviser Adnan Abu Hasna said Israel’s decision to ban the agency from operating on its soil would mean the collapse of the humanitarian process as a whole.
Hasna described the decision as “unprecedented”, in his statements to Qatar’s Al Jazeera Mubasher TV channel.
Why Israel bans UNRWA activities
Israel has long accused some UNRWA workers of being involved in the attack launched by Hamas on Israeli soil on October 7, 2023. For this reason, the agency has been the “black sheep” of the Israeli government.
A second text, also approved by a large majority (89-7), prohibits Israeli public officials from working with UNRWA and its employees, which will greatly complicate the agency’s work, as Israel strictly controls all entry for humanitarian aid shipments bound for the Gaza Strip.
The two laws will take effect 90 days after their adoption, according to the Knesset.
Immediately after the bill was passed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said UNRWA workers must be held accountable for what he called their “terrorist activities.” In his Platform X post, Netanyahu also added that continued humanitarian aid must remain available to Gaza “now and in the future.”
UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable. Since avoiding a humanitarian crisis is also essential, sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) October 28, 2024
On the other hand, Benjamin Netanyahu assures that Israel is “ready” to “work with (its) international partners” to continue to “facilitate humanitarian assistance to the Gaza Strip in a manner that will not threaten (its) security».
Israel’s decision is scandalous
In a first reaction, UNRWA described the decision taken by the Knesset as “scandalous”. “It is scandalous that a UN member state seeks to dismantle a UN agency which is proving to be the most important donor of humanitarian services in Gaza” the representative of this service, Juliet Touma, told AFP.
Even before the vote, the US said it was “very concerned” and “urged the administration not to approve” the text, according to State Department spokesman Matthew Miller. He reiterated UNRWA’s “critical” role in the Gaza Strip in terms of humanitarian aid.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, denounced the “intolerable” decision that will have “catastrophic consequences”. “It goes against Israel’s obligations and responsibilities“, he added, underlining that UNRWA is “irreplaceable lifeline for the Palestinian people».
Britain’s prime minister said he was “seriously concerned”, while Germany “strongly criticized” this decision.
Ireland, Norway, Slovenia and Spain, four countries that recognized the state of Palestine this year, “condemned” the new law in a joint statement, calling the work of UNRWA “necessary and irreplaceable”.
The Muslim arc’s response to Israel’s decision
Hamas denounced the “Zionist attack”. Its ally, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, denounced the “escalation into genocide” of Palestinians.
The presidency of the Palestinian Authority considered for its part that the text confirms “the transformation of Israel into a fascist state”.
What is UNRWA?
UNRWA was created by a decision of the UN General Assembly in 1949 and manages in particular the health centers in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. At the same time, it provides shelter, food and basic medical services. It is considered the “backbone” of international aid in the region, which has been faced with a humanitarian disaster.
Some of the biggest donors had suspended funding to UNRWA earlier this year after Israel accused about 20 of the agency’s 13,000 workers in the Gaza Strip of taking part in the October 7, 2023, raid by Hamas. Most of the donors they have since resumed supporting the service. A notable exception is the service’s largest sponsor, the US.
Nine agency workers “may have been involved” in the Hamas attack, according to a UN report released in August.
At least 223 UNRWA workers have lost their lives in the war in the Gaza Strip, which has been going on for over a year.
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