Despite widespread international pressure, the Israeli Knesset approved laws barring UNRWA from Israel and limiting it in Gaza and the West Bank.
Due to the UN Palestinian refugee agency staff’s proven terror links, MKs voted overwhelmingly on Monday, October 28, to approve two bills essentially barring UNRWA from operating in Israel, and severely restricting its activities in Gaza and the West Bank, reports The Times of Israel.
MKs voted 92 to 10 to approve the bill barring UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory, and 87-9 in favor of the other bill curtailing UNRWA’s activities in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank by banning state authorities from having any contact with the agency.
Without coordination with Israel, it will be almost impossible for UNRWA to work in Gaza or the West Bank, since Jerusalem would no longer be issuing entrance permits to those territories or allowing coordination with the IDF. Israel also currently controls access to Gaza from Egypt, with Israeli forces deployed along the border between them.
In a statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Office 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 the future,” expressing willingness to work with international partners, both in the 90 days before the legislation takes effect and afterward, to ensure that humanitarian aid would still reach Gazan civilians.
Responding to the vote, UNRWA warned that the legislation “sets a dangerous precedent,” breaches the UN charter “and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law.”
According to the Ynet news site, the Foreign Ministry had warned of the dangers of passing the UNRWA legislation, stating that Israel could be found in violation of the UN charter and be expelled.
Ahead of the vote, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and European Commission Vice President Josep Borrell warned that passing the bills would be disastrous, while the US made it clear to Israel that it was deeply concerned by the legislation, which could force the UN agency to discontinue all of its humanitarian operations in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. British Foreign Minister David Lammy also expressed “profound regret” over the legislation.
While security establishment and professional staff cautioned political leaders against passing the legislation in the middle of the war against Hamas in Gaza without a viable replacement in place, Israel has been working to gradually limit UNRWA’s role in the delivery of humanitarian aid, in favor of other agencies, including the World Food Program and UNICEF.
Israel alleges that more than 10 percent of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza have ties to terrorist factions, and that educational facilities under the organization’s auspices consistently incite hatred of Israel and glorify terror. Just days before the passing of the two bills, UNRWA confirmed that a Hamas Nukbha commander killed in an Israeli strike, who led the killing and kidnapping of Israelis from a roadside bomb shelter near Kibbutz Re’im on October 7 last year, had been employed by the agency since July 2022.
In February, the IDF revealed the existence of a subterranean Hamas data center directly beneath UNRWA’s Gaza Strip headquarters. The IDF has also repeatedly targeted Hamas command centers and gunmen hiding out in UNRWA schools.
Israeli lawmakers celebrated the legislation’s passage on Monday evening. Likud MK Boaz Bismuth, the sponsor of the bill prohibiting UNRWA from operating within Israel, tweeted: “UNRWA terrorists, your story ends here; enemies have no right to exist in the State of Israel.”
“That’s it, it’s over. UNRWA is out,” cheered Likud MK Yuli Edelstein, the chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, calling the bills’ passage a “historic and significant move for the security of the country” against terrorists operating “under the auspices of the United Nations.”
“UNRWA employed terrorists who participated in the October 7 massacre and is educating young Palestinians about terrorism and hatred of Israel,” said Energy Minister Eli Cohen.
Photo credit: MOHAMMED ABED / AFP
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