'Israel' tells UN it is severing ties with UNRWA after ban
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The Israeli occupation government informs the United Nations that it is cutting all ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees swiftly after a parliamentary decision.
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Palestinians look at the destruction after an Israeli strike on a school run by UNRWA, the UN agency helping Palestinian refugees, in Nuseirat, Gaza Strip, May 14, 2024 (AP)
The Israeli occupation regime formally announced on Monday that it had cut ties with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which provides aid to Palestinian refugees, following a parliamentary decision to ban the agency.
The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the notification to the UN, stating it was acting on instructions from Foreign Minister Israel Katz.
"UNRWA, the organization whose employees participated in the October 7 massacre and many of whose employees are Hamas operatives, is part of the problem in the Gaza Strip and not part of the solution," Katz claimed, reiterating baseless claims about the UN agency.
"Israel" has frequently demanded that UNRWA be dismantled and its responsibilities moved to other UN organizations.
The bill has upset the United Nations and some of "Israel's" Western allies who believe it would exacerbate the already grave humanitarian situation in Gaza, where "Israel" has ruthlessly and repeatedly bombed civilians for the last year.
The decision to sever ties comes after the Israeli parliament voted last month to end UNRWA's operations in the occupied Palestinian territories and occupied east al-Quds, which has drawn criticism from the international community, even the United States.
Undermining aid for Palestinians
Experts warn that the Israeli decision could undermine crucial humanitarian assistance for Palestinian refugees, particularly in Gaza, where UNRWA has provided aid for more than 70 years.
Despite the warnings, Katz downplayed UNRWA's role, stating that the agency is responsible for only a fraction of the aid reaching Gaza. "Even now, the vast majority of humanitarian aid to Gaza is delivered through other organizations, and only 13% of it is delivered through UNRWA," he noted.
However, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned last week that the Israeli occupation newly approved law banning UNRWA from operating could lead to "devastating consequences for Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, which is unacceptable."
"There is no alternative to UNRWA," he said. "The implementation of these laws would be detrimental for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and for peace and security in the region as a whole."
In January, the Israeli occupation accused several UNRWA employees in Gaza of involvement in October 7's Operation al-Aqsa Flood. Subsequent investigations found some instances of "neutrality-related issues" and suggested that nine employees "may have been involved" in the incident, though no conclusive evidence supported the main Israeli allegations.
The UNRWA ban may have additional implications for agency staff, particularly in the West Bank, who could face challenges in moving through checkpoints and accessing eastern al-Quds or the occupied Palestinian territories, as they would lose the coordination privileges with Israeli authorities. Additionally, concerns have arisen over the renewal of visas and permits issued by the Israeli regime.
UNRWA and other aid groups have criticized the Israeli occupation for limiting aid flows into Gaza, where nearly all of the 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once amid the ongoing conflict.
