Israel’s ban on the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (Unrwa) comes in to effect on Thursday. The Knesset passed a law late last year banning the organisation from operating in Israel and the Palestinian territories.
The move will have an adverse effect on the humanitarian effort in war-torn Gaza and may leave tens of thousands of occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem residents without education, healthcare and other services.
Unrwa, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, was established in 1949 following the Arab-Israeli war in 1948. It provides aid, health and education to millions of Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, occupied East Jerusalem and across the region.
The legislation targeting Unrwa was passed in November after Israel claimed that some of its employees were involved in the October 7th, 2023 attack on southern Israel, and that Hamas had infiltrated its ranks.
Joyful but anxious, Gazans crowd the road north
Gaza hostages were held in tunnels for months, Israeli medical officer says
Gaza Strip: Infrastructural ruin, destroyed facilities and lack of shelter await returnees despite joy at ceasefire
Palestinians begin return to northern Gaza after Israel signals end to blocking travel
During the Gaza war there were numerous allegations by Israel that Unrwa facilities had been used by militants, along with claims that the agency’s schools incited hatred of Israel and glorification of martyrdom. Unrwa denied the claims.
Israel also maintains that Unrwa perpetuates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by using a unique definition of refugees, enabling refugee status to pass from generation to generation.
“We don’t have any trust in an organisation that demonstrated that its personnel were involved in terrorism, were infiltrated by Hamas, and that its installations were used as command and communication centres for Hamas,” foreign minister Gideon Sa’ar said. He suggested that other humanitarian NGOs and UN agencies could take over much of the work undertaken by Unrwa.
Israel initially provided evidence it said linked Unrwa employees to the October 7th attack and to Hamas and other armed groups. The UN investigated the claims and dismissed nine Unwra workers, but noted that the agency employs thousands of staff.
The Israeli foreign ministry then sent a letter to Unrwa commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini, listing more than 100 employees it alleged to be Hamas members, but it failed to provide the proof Unrwa demanded in order to open an investigation.
Israel’s laws against Unrwa were passed by a large parliamentary majority, receiving support from across the political spectrum.
One law bans Unrwa operations in Israel’s sovereign territory, including in Palestinian areas of East Jerusalem. The other prohibits any Israeli authority from maintaining direct or indirect ties with the agency.
As a result, the visas of dozens of international Unrwa employees will expire this week, barring them from entering Israel, the West Bank and Gaza.
The laws also prevent the Israel Defense Forces and military branches that liaise with Palestinian civilians in the occupied territories from maintaining contact with Unrwa, making it impossible for the organisation to co-ordinate its staff movement at checkpoints, issue vehicle permits or import supplies for its operations.
Unrwa will no longer be able to operate bank accounts in Israel, purchase supplies or pay salaries.
