Israelis celebrate closure of UNRWA as ban comes into effect
Video shows Israelis spray painting over a UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) sign as Israel’s ban came into effect on Thursday. A law that passed in October bans UNRWA from operating in Israeli territory, which includes occupied East Jerusalem.
UNRWA ‘committed’ to providing services to Palestinians despite ban
Despite an Israeli ban on its operations now officially in place but not yet enforced, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) said it is continuing to work and remains “absolutely committed” to providing services such as free healthcare and education in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank.
Speaking to the UN’s media platform, UNRWA spokesperson Jonathan Fowler admitted that the organisation was now operating in a “nightmare scenario”.
Fowler said that UNRWA has 5,000 staff still working in Gaza as the “backbone of the international aid operation” and their work may be compromised by the situation.
“Our biggest fear is that there is no plan B,” he said.
Israel has passed laws that stop UNRWA operating in Israeli territory as well as occupied East Jerusalem, and bans all “contact” between UNRWA and Israeli officials.
UK, France, Germany express ‘grave concern’ over Israel’s UNRWA ban
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers of the three nations reiterate their “grave concern over the implementation by the Government of Israel of legislation prohibiting any contact between Israeli State entities, officials and UNRWA and prohibiting any of their presence within Israel and (occupied) East Jerusalem”.
On Thursday, the law, which was passed in October last year, banned UNRWA from operating on Israeli land, including in occupied East Jerusalem, and contact with Israeli authorities is forbidden.
“No other United Nations entity or agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and expertise”, the statement read.
For more than 70 years, UNRWA has provided support for Palestinian refugees across the Middle East, but the organisation has often clashed with Israeli officials over its work.
Israel has repeatedly accused UNRWA employees of involvement in the October 7 attack without providing proof.
Essay Pro