Israel’s parliament has voted to ban a nearly eight-decade-old United Nations agency that provides essential services for Palestinian refugees, a move that could have devastating consequences for millions of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation.
On Monday, the Knesset passed two bills; one barring UNRWA from activity within Israel, and another banning Israeli authorities from any contact with UNRWA – revoking the 1967 treaty that allows UNRWA to provide services to Palestinian refugees in areas under Israel’s control.
The move is expected to severely restrict the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating in territories Israel occupies.
Following the passing of the first law, Boaz Bismuth, a member of Likud, the architect of the bill, said: “Anyone that behaves like a terrorist has no rights in Israel…. UNRWA equals Hamas, period.”
Before the passing of the second law, another member, Yuli Edelstein, claimed the directive “does not in any way harm humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip” and insisted Israel was acting within the framework of international law.
The move went ahead despite heated opposition from Arab members of the Knesset and strong international pressure from Western nations. The first law was approved with 92 votes in favor, 10 against. The second was approved with 87 votes in favor, 9 against.
Several countries, including the United States, have expressed deep concerns about the controversial ban, which could impact the education, food, healthcare and livelihoods of millions of Palestinians who depend on the agency.
Prior to the vote, the US State Department had urged Israel not to pass the legislation, saying the agency plays “an irreplaceable role right now in Gaza.” Secretary of State Antony Blinken has previously warned Israel that passing the legislation could “have implications under US law and US policy.”
Israel has long sought to dismantle the UN body, arguing that some of its employees are affiliated with Hamas, and that its schools teach hate against Israel. UNRWA has repeatedly denied these accusations, saying there is “absolutely no ground for a blanket description of ‘the institution as a whole’ being ‘totally infiltrated.’”
Here’s what we know about UNRWA, and the implications of the Israeli ban.
What is UNRWA and what does it do?
UNRWA was founded by the United Nations a year after the 1948 creation of Israel that led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians from their homes in an event known by Palestinians as the “Nakba” (catastrophe).
The agency, which began by assisting about 750,000 Palestinian refugees in 1950, now serves some 5.9 million across the Middle East, many of whom live in refugee camps in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
In the Gaza Strip, which has been ravaged by a devastating Israeli war for more than a year, UNRWA serves some 1.7 million Palestinian refugees. In the West Bank and East Jerusalem, it assists around 871,500 refugees.
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