Israel bans UNRWA from operating in Israel and East Jerusalem

Israel’s parliament approved legislation on Monday banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) from operating within the country.

The bill passed with 92 votes in favor and 10 against, amplifying Israel’s long-standing criticism of the U.N. agency. Tensions have risen since the conflict in Gaza intensified following Hamas’s attacks on October 7 of last year.

The decision has sparked international reactions, with the U.N. Palestinian agency condemning the ban as “outrageous.”

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) on Monday condemned the Israeli parliament’s approval of a bill banning its activities in Israel and occupied east Jerusalem, calling the move “outrageous”.

“It’s outrageous that a member state of the United Nations is working to dismantle a UN agency which also happens to be the largest responder in the humanitarian operation in Gaza,” Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for UNRWA, told news agency AFP.

“If it’s implemented it’s a disaster including due to the impact this is likely to have on the humanitarian operation in Gaza and in several parts of the West Bank,” she said, adding the agency is the lead provider of “shelter, food and primary health care” in war-battered Gaza.

The vote by the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) against @UNRWA this evening is unprecedented and sets a dangerous precedent. It opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law. 

This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit…

— Philippe Lazzarini (@UNLazzarini) October 28, 2024

Additionally, head of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees said Monday the Israeli parliament’s approval of a bill banning its activities set “a dangerous precedent” and would “only deepen the suffering of Palestinians”.

“This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA… These bills will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians,” the agency’s chief Philippe Lazzarini said on X, adding that the vote “sets a dangerous precedent”.

US voices concerns over Israel’s decision

U.S. on Monday said it is “deeply concerned” by the proposed Israeli legislation to ban Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA, expressing that the agency plays a “critical” role in delivering assistance to civilians in Gaza.

“Passage of this legislation could have implications under U.S. law,” State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said during a press briefing.

Noting that UNRWA plays an important role providing services to Palestinians in the West Bank and throughout the region, Miller said the agency plays an “irreplaceable role” in Gaza, where they are on the front lines getting humanitarian assistance to the people.

“There’s nobody that can replace them right now in the middle of the crisis,” he added.

Israel has accused UNRWA employees of complicity in the Oct. 7, 2023 cross-border incursion by Hamas, alleging that the agency’s educational programs “promote terrorism and hatred.”

UNRWA, headquartered in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, denies the accusations and asserts that it remains neutral, solely focusing on supporting refugees.

The Israeli army has continued a devastating offensive on the Gaza Strip since the attack by Hamas last October, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Over 43,000 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 101,100 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.