Israel’s Knesset voted late Monday, 28 October, to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating within Israel, East Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank.
The legislation, passed 92-10, bars UNRWA from conducting “any activity” or providing services within Israel. The restriction will take effect in 90 days. Israeli lawmakers also designated UNRWA a terror organization, effectively blocking any direct engagement between the Israeli government and the agency.
The new law mandates the closure of UNRWA’s East Jerusalem office, restricts entry permits for foreign staff, and interrupts aid routes into Gaza.
Israel justified the move by citing allegations of UNRWA staff involvement in terrorism. The Israeli government 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.
Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA’s Commissioner-General, condemned the vote as “unprecedented” and a violation of Israel’s international obligations, stating that it “will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians, especially in Gaza, where people have been going through more than a year of sheer hell.”
Lazzarini highlighted that the decision could deprive over 650,000 Palestinian children of education and other essential services, calling it a form of “collective punishment.” He further emphasized that Palestinian refugee status remains protected under UN resolutions, irrespective of Israel’s recent vote.
The decision has sparked international criticism. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed “grave concern,” noting that the legislation threatens UNRWA’s humanitarian work for Palestinians and jeopardizes critical health and education services in Gaza and the West Bank.
Starmer added that the humanitarian situation in Gaza is “simply unacceptable,” calling for an immediate ceasefire and urging Israel to fulfill its international obligations to deliver aid to civilians.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller echoed these concerns, emphasizing that UNRWA has an “irreplaceable role” in delivering humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza.
Miller urged Israel to “pause implementation,” warning of potential consequences for U.S. military assistance under American law.
Egypt also condemned Israel’s decision as part of “a long series of Israeli violations of international law,” stressing that the ban obstructs critical humanitarian support and reflects “disregard for the international community.”
Established in 1949 to aid Palestinian refugees, UNRWA provides critical assistance to millions across Gaza, East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and neighboring countries. It employs 13,000 staff in Gaza alone to support displaced communities with food, water, healthcare, and education amid severe shortages.
Israel’s decision comes amid the ongoing Gaza crisis, with the death toll now exceeding 43,000 according to local health authorities.
Comments (0)