Global outcry over Israel’s ban on United Nations Relief and Works Agency UNRWA
What Israel did is ‘despicable, disgraceful and shameful’; EU urged to review trade ties
Dubai: In a controversial move that has sparked international condemnation, Israel announced on Monday a ban on the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating within its borders.
This decision has been met with widespread criticism from governments and leaders around the world, who labelled the ban “illegal” and reiterated their support for UNRWA, seen as an “irreplaceable” humanitarian lifeline for the people of Gaza.
The new legislation prohibits UNRWA’s services in Israel, severely impacting its operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. While the agency can still function in Palestinian territories, the law will significantly restrict its activities. Humanitarian aid routes are expected to be blocked, the East Jerusalem office will be shut down, and entry and work permits for UNRWA staff will be curtailed.
This move has raised alarm among the United Nations and Israel’s Western allies, who fear it could exacerbate the already dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. The context of these developments includes accusations from Israel that 12 UNRWA employees were complicit in the October 7 Hamas attack.
Israeli officials have claimed that over 450 Gaza-based UNRWA employees are affiliated with terrorist organizations, primarily Hamas.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the legislation, stating that UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable.
He emphasised, however, that it was crucial to ensure that humanitarian aid remains accessible to civilians in Gaza, even as tensions rise.
The agency is a main distributor of aid in Gaza and provides education, health and other basic services to millions of Palestinian refugees across the region, including in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
* The head of the agency, Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini, called the move “un-precedented” on X and said the bills “will only deepen the suffering Palestinians, especially in Gaza where people have been going through more than a year of sheer hell.”
* Israel is reportedly considering taking over aid distribution itself or subcontracting it, but it has yet to put forth a concrete plan. Any such effort would likely require a large number of troops and other resources at a time when Israel is at war on two fronts in Gaza and Lebanon.
* UNRWA supporters say Israel hopes to erase the Palestinian refugee issue by dismantling the agency. Israel says the refugees should be permanently resettled outside its borders.
Dangerous precedent
“In the 90 days before this legislation takes effect – and after – we stand ready to work with our international partners to facilitate humanitarian aid in a way that does not threaten Israel’s security,” he posted on social media. The response from the international community was swift. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed grave concern, warning that the new laws jeopardise the “entire international humanitarian response” in Gaza.
Ireland’s Prime Minister Simon Harris urged the EU to review trade ties with Israel over Israeli lawmakers’ “despicable” ban of UNRWA.
The Irish leader criticised the Israeli parliament’s “shameful” banning of the agency, which coordinates nearly all aid to Gaza.
The move has stirred a growing international backlash, including from Israel’s ally the United States and European powers.
“The most important action that the European Union could take right now is reviewing trade relations,” Harris told reporters in Dublin before meeting incoming European Council president Antonio Costa.
“What Israel and the Israeli Knesset did last night was despicable, disgraceful and shameful. More people will die, more children will starve,” he said.
Harris added there was “no alternative” to UNRWA, and that he would discuss with Costa “how Europe now needs to find the moral courage... to act in relation to this.
“Ireland, Spain, Belgium, Slovenia and others have been calling for more actions at an EU level. I think that would be a very effective way and I’ll be continuing to make that case,” he said.
France’s foreign ministry also voiced strong regret over the law, highlighting its potential to worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis in the region. Philippe Lazzarini, head of UNRWA, described the vote as a “dangerous precedent” that undermines the UN charter and violates Israel’s obligations under international law.
Vital role
He lamented that this decision is part of a broader campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimise its vital role in providing assistance to Palestinian refugees. Amid the rising tensions, Germany’s ambassador to Israel, Steffen Seibert, expressed deep concern for the displaced men, women, and children in Gaza, warning that the laws would put them at “even greater risk.”
The Turkish foreign ministry went further, accusing Israel of attempting to dismantle the two-state solution and pledging ongoing political and financial support for UNRWA.
Gaza war mediator Qatar on Tuesday condemned the Israeli parliament’s decision to ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees from operating in Israel, the foreign ministry said.
“We emphasise that stopping support for UNRWA will have disastrous consequences,” ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told reporters.
“The international community cannot stand silent in the face of this disregard for its international institutions,” he added.
In Washington, a State Department spokesperson articulated the US government’s “deep concern” regarding the Israeli parliament’s vote, underscoring UNRWA’s “irreplaceable” role in providing essential aid to Gaza.
“We continue to urge the government of Israel to pause the implementation of this legislation,” the spokesperson stated, noting that the US will consider next steps based on future developments. As tensions rise, the future of humanitarian aid in Gaza hangs in the balance, with many fearing that this decision will further deteriorate an already dire situation.