Photo credit: Al Jazeera
Israel has passed a law banning the UN Palestinian Refugee Agency (UNRWA) from operating in the country.
Reuters reports that the legislation which could impact the agency’s work in Gaza was passed on Monday. The lawmakers cited what they described as the involvement of some UNRWA staffers in the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. They also accused some staffers of being members of Hamas and other armed groups.
Quite naturally, the law alarmed the UN and some of Israel’s Western allies. They fear it would worsen the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. Israel has been fighting Hamas militants for a year in Gaza. However, the ban does not refer to operations in the Palestine territories elsewhere.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, “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 future.
“In the 90 days before this legislation takes effect – and after- we stand ready to work with our international partners to ensure Israel continues to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not threaten Israel’s security.”
An addendum was also passed on the new saying that Israeli authorities could no longer have contact with UNRWA. However, exceptions could be made to that in the future.
Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UNRWA, called the vote a “dangerous precedent” that opposes the UN charter and violates Israel’s obligation under international law.
According to him, “This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role towards providing human-development assistance and services to #Palestine Refugees.”
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees employs tens of thousands of workers. It provides education, health, and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
Although it has long had tense relations with Israel, ties have deteriorated sharply since the start of the war in Gaza, and Israel has repeatedly called for UNRWA to be disbanded, with its responsibilities transferred to other UN agencies.
In August, the UN said nine UNRWA staff may have been involved in the October 7 assault and had been fired. A Hamas commander in Lebanon was found to have had a UNRWA job – he was killed last month in an Israeli strike. Another commander killed in Gaza last week doubled as a UN aid worker.
UNRWA confirmed both men had been employees.
