Global Outcry as Israel Bans UNRWA from Operating Within Its Borders

The Israeli parliament has sparked international condemnation after passing two laws that ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating within Israel‘s borders. The legislation, approved by the Knesset, labels UNRWA as a ‘terrorist’ organization and prohibits it from functioning in Israel, although it will still be allowed to operate in Palestinian territories.

The move has been widely criticized by the international community, including the United Nations, for its potential to exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the work of UNRWA as “essential” and warned that enforcing these laws could have dire consequences for Palestinian refugees, calling the situation “unacceptable”.

UNRWA, established by the UN General Assembly in 1949, is the primary provider of humanitarian aid to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The agency’s commissioner-general, Philippe Lazzarini, stated that the Knesset’s decision sets a “perilous precedent” and violates Israel’s obligations under international law.

Various countries and organizations have voiced strong opposition to the Israeli legislation. China‘s representative to the UN, Fu Cong, labeled the decision as “outrageous,” while Russia’s ambassador to the UN, Vasily Nebenzia, described it as “terrible” and urged the United States to fulfill its financial obligations to UNRWA. The British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed serious concern, stating that the humanitarian conditions in Gaza are “simply unacceptable”.

Jordan, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain have also condemned the move, with Jordan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs calling it a “blatant infringement of international law.” The World Health Organization‘s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, warned that preventing UNRWA from conducting its life-saving functions will have devastating effects on the health and lives of Palestinians.

The Palestinian presidency and various Palestinian groups, including Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, have firmly rejected and condemned the Israeli laws, describing them as part of a broader assault on the Palestinian people.