ISRAEL has passed two laws banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from working in Israel and in occupied Palestinian territory.
On Monday evening, Israel’s parliament voted on two Bills that would strip UNRWA of legal immunities and restrict its ability to support Palestinians in the West Bank, occupied East Jerusalem, and Gaza.
The ban could come into force in the next three months, and could see UNRWA evicted from headquarters and offices, as well as end visas for UNRWA staff.
It will also severely block the organisations ability to provide essential services such as healthcare and education to millions of Palestine refugees.
More than 1.9 million Palestinians are displaced from their homes and Gaza faces widespread shortages of food, water and medicine.
The agency's commissioner-general, Philippe Lazzarini, said the most recent move "set a dangerous precedent".
Lazzarini said in a statement: "The vote by the Israeli parliament (Knesset) against UNWRA 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."
Juliette Touma, spokeswoman for UNRWA, said: “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".
The Prime Minister reacted to the news, urging Israel to ensure UNRWA can continue working in Gaza.
Keir Starmer said: “The UK is gravely concerned at the UNRWA bills that Israel’s Knesset has passed. This legislation risks making UNRWA‘s essential work for Palestinians impossible, jeopardising the entire international humanitarian response in Gaza and delivery of essential health and education services in the West Bank.
“The humanitarian situation in Gaza is simply unacceptable. We need to see an immediate ceasefire, the release of the hostages and a significant increase in aid to Gaza.
“Under its international obligations, Israel must ensure sufficient aid reaches civilians in Gaza.
“Only UNRWA can deliver humanitarian aid at the scale and pace needed. We pay tribute to the 222 UNRWA staff who have lost their lives in the conflict. UNRWA has a UN mandate to support Palestinian refugees. We urge Israeli lawmakers to ensure that UNRWA can continue to deliver its essential work.”
After the bills passed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pledged to provide humanitarian aid to Palestinians after the ban in a statement on Twitter/X.
He wrote: “Sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future… 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."
Funding for UNRWA was halted earlier this year after allegations from Israel that about a dozen of the agency’s employees were involved in the October 7 Hamas attack.
But an independent report into the neutrality of the UN agency has said Israel has not provided evidence for the claims.
