The Knesset approves Monday, July 22, the first reading three bills aimed at shutting down UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East. The agency provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria

The first bill, which would ban the organization from operating on Israeli territory, passes 58-9. The second, aimed at stripping UNRWA personnel of the legal immunities and privileges afforded to United Nations staff in Israel, passes 63-9. The third, which would brand UNRWA as a “terrorist organization” and require Israel to cut ties with it, passes 50-10. Only Hadash-Ta’al and Ra’am MKs opposed the bills.

This is what remains of the UNRWA headquarters in Gaza City.  The war in Gaza has seen an unprecedented number of Israeli attacks on UNRWA, schools, premises and staff (Photo: UNRWA)

All three bills will now be returned to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for preparation for the second and third readings necessary for the legislation to become law. During the debate, New Hope far-right lawmaker Sharren Haskel denounces the organization as the “cornerstone of the Arab Israeli conflict” while MK Ofer Cassif (Hadash) argues that the bill will block access to the education system for tens of thousands Palestinian children in occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Cassif also praised the last International Court of Justice (ICJ), ruling on Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories.

According, UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma: “It’s another attempt in a wider campaign to dismantle the agency. Such steps are unheard of in the history of the United Nations.” In addition, the Palestinian Authority condemned the Israeli vote, and Hussein Al-Sheikh, called on the international community to resist attempts to dissolve the agency.

Jordan condemned also the bills considering its a violation of international law and Israel’s obligations as the occupying power. In a statement, the Jordanian Foreign Ministry said the Israeli move is an “attempt to kill the agency, assassinate it politically and target its symbolism, which affirms the right of Palestinian refugees to return and compensation under the international law.”

The statement stressed UNRWA’s role in providing “vital” services to Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operations, especially in Gaza, which is suffering an unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe because of the ongoing Israeli war since Oct. 7 last year.

Related: https://maki.org.il/en/?p=31995