International Leaders Criticize Israeli Legislation Targeting UNRWA

Israeli authorities are facing global criticism over proposed legislation in its parliament aimed at halting the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This legislative action has sparked condemnation from multiple international leaders who warn against its possible impacts.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed grave concerns about the proposed eviction of UNRWA from areas under Israeli control, describing such measures as potentially catastrophic. He emphasized the indispensable role the agency plays in supporting Palestinian refugees. Similarly, European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell warned that the legislative changes could have disastrous consequences if enacted.

The United States has also shown its opposition. America’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, has consistently pushed back against efforts that could lead to UNRWA’s closure. Israeli authorities have earlier accused UNRWA of harboring individuals linked to Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, allegations the UN says lack evidence.

In response to these allegations, Israel pointed to a report in August which stated that nine UNRWA staff members had participated in a Hamas-led action on October 7, 2023, claiming responsibility for violence against civilians. The UN reported that those involved accounted for a minuscule fraction, 0.03 percent, of the over 30,000 staff members employed by UNRWA throughout Palestine, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.

UNRWA’s mandate is to safeguard the rights of Palestinian refugees by providing humanitarian aid, education, and other critical services. The proposed Israeli legislation threatens these services, potentially compromising the agency’s regional efforts, especially in Gaza, where there is a severe humanitarian crisis.

Israeli interactions with the UN have further strained recently, as Secretary-General Guterres was reportedly barred from entering Israel, amplifying tensions. A letter initiated by Chile and signed by 104 UN member states, excluding notable countries such as the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia, expressed support for Guterres and criticized Israel’s actions.

Amid an international call for cooperation, there are pleas for Israel to allow UNRWA and other humanitarian groups to continue their operations unimpeded in Gaza. Critics argue that the revocation of such operations would exacerbate an already dire situation marked by allegations of collective punishment and potential war crimes.