Israel’s Knesset has passed a bill to sharply restrict the main United Nations organization supporting Palestinians, further threatening the already slow flow of humanitarian aid to displaced people in Gaza.
The decision to all but ban the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, or UNRWA, comes despite renewed calls by Israel’s European allies as well Canada, Australia and Japan not to press ahead with the legislation. The Biden administration also has pushed Israel to increase aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip, saying a U.S. law may require reducing the flow of American weapons to Israel unless the situation improves.
The bill, which became final after being approved in second and third readings by the Knesset, bans the agency’s activities within Israel’s territories. While this technically doesn’t include Gaza and the West Bank, the organization would be greatly affected as its day-to-day operations and logistics require coordination with Israel and the use of Israeli-controlled land and crossing points.
“The proposal prohibits UNRWA from operating any representation, providing any services or conducting any activities, directly or indirectly, within Israel’s sovereign territory,” according to a Knesset statement. The law takes effect after 90 days.
UNRWA, with well-established warehouses, vehicles and manpower, has actively led the distribution of aid to more than 90% of Gaza’s population who have been displaced by war into southern Gaza. Israel banned the organization from operating in north Gaza, where some 200,000 to 300,000 Palestinians remain amid hardship.
The U.N.’s acting humanitarian chief, Joyce Msuya, said in a statement Saturday “that the entire population of northern Gaza is at risk of dying” and criticized Israeli forces for “blatant disregard for basic humanity,” citing attacks on hospitals, health workers and first responders.
Longstanding tensions between Israel and UNRWA climaxed after hundreds of militants from Iran-backed Hamas raided southern Israel on Oct. 7 last year, killing about 1,200 Israelis and taking 250 hostages. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israel’s subsequent military campaign, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and civilian casualties.
Israel said that at least 12 UNRWA employees participated directly in last year’s cross-border attack, which set off the ongoing Gaza war. Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. and other nations.
Initially denying the Israeli allegations, UNRWA said in March that Israel tried to coerce some agency personnel, detained by the military during the ground operations in Gaza alongside thousands of residents, into saying they had ties to Hamas and took part in the Oct. 7 attacks. However in August, the agency said nine employees may have been involved in the attacks and were going to be fired.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he is deeply concerned by the adoption of the laws and warned they could have “devastating consequences” for Palestinians affected by the conflict. There is “no alternative” to UNRWA, he added.
“I call on Israel to act consistently with its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and its other obligations under international law,” he said. “I am bringing this matter to the attention of the U.N. General Assembly and will keep the Assembly closely informed as the situation develops.”
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