– Zaina Aman
23 Jul. 24: On Monday, Israel’s parliament pushed forward three bills aimed at severely curtailing the operations of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). The legislative measures, passed in their initial readings, include prohibiting UNRWA from conducting any activities within Israeli territory, stripping its personnel of legal immunities, and controversially designating the agency as a “terrorist organization.”
The first bill, passed with a 58-9 majority, restricts UNRWA from operating or providing services on Israeli soil, according to The Times of Israel. A second bill, approved 63-9, seeks to remove legal protections enjoyed by UNRWA staff, akin to those granted to other UN employees in Israel. The third bill, passed by a 50-10 vote, calls for labeling UNRWA as a terrorist entity and mandates Israel to sever all ties with it.
These legislative moves come amidst escalating tensions, highlighted by a recent incident where Israeli forces reportedly fired upon a UN convoy en route to Gaza City. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, condemned the attack, further exacerbating the strained relations between Israel and the agency.
Reacting to Israel’s actions, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad condemned what it termed a “starvation war” against Palestinian refugees, emphasizing the detrimental impact on those in Gaza, the West Bank refugee camps, and Jerusalem.
The bills will now undergo further scrutiny by the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee before proceeding to subsequent readings required for final implementation.
Israel has previously accused UNRWA of supporting Palestinian interests and has sought to shut down its operations. Despite recent restorations of funding by the United Kingdom, which had been suspended earlier in the year, the United States remains a notable exception in continuing to withhold support for the agency.
The contentious moves underscore a broader geopolitical struggle over Palestinian rights and humanitarian aid, amidst ongoing violence and instability in the region.
