World condemns Israel’s UNRWA ban : Valley Vision
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The United Nations and countries across the globe have condemned the Knesset’s two laws on Monday that brand the UN Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) a “terror” group and ban the humanitarian organisation within 90 days from operating in Israel.
The legislation prevents UNRWA from conducting “any activity” or providing crucial life support to Palestinians across Israeli-occupied Gaza and the West Bank.
Israel’s decision is expected to lead to the shutdown of UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters and would effectively block the delivery of humanitarian aid into Gaza via Rafah.
UNRWA responded to the Bill calling it “unprecedented”. “It opposes the UN Charter and violates the state of Israel’s obligations under international law”, reads the UNRWA post on X.
The Commissioner General of UNRWA took to X stating that it is part of the ongoing campaign to discredit and delegitimize its role in providing human development assistance and services to Palestine refugees.
He pointed out that these bills will only deepen the suffering of Palestinians, “where people have been going through more than a year of sheer hell”.
“it will deprive over 650,000 girls & boys there from education, putting at risk an entire generation of children.”, he wrote on X, Calling it a “collective punishment”.
THE UN Secretary-General Antoni Guterres said there is “no alternative” to the agency.
The implementation of the law is “unacceptable” as it has devastating consequences for Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, he said.
He urged Israel to “act consistently with its obligations under the Charter of the United Nations and its other obligations under international law”.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said UNRWA has been an “irreplaceable lifeline” for the Palestinian people for the past seven decades.
“Today’s decision by the Israeli parliament barring UNRWA from its life-saving and health-protecting work on behalf of millions of Palestinians will have devastating consequences.”, he said in a post in X.
UK prime minister Keir Starmer’s statement expressed concerns regarding the Bill it jeopardizes “the entire international humanitarian response in Gaza and delivery of essential health and education services in the West Bank.”
He urged Israeli lawmakers to ensure that UNRWA can continue to deliver its essential works.
Hamas denounced the move saying it considers the Bill a “part of the Zionist war and aggression against our people”, while the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) called it “an escalation in the genocide” against Palestinians.
The Palestinian presidency rejected and condemned the Israeli legislation. “We will not allow this. The overwhelming vote of the Knesset reflects Israel’s transformation into a fascist state,” said Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a spokesman for the presidency in Ramallah.
Fu Cong, the Chinese envoy to the UN, called the Israeli move “outrageous”. “We are firmly opposed to this decision. As I said, this is an outrageous decision and we do believe that UNRWA has played a key role in maintaining a lifeline for the Palestinian people in Gaza,” he told reporters in New York.
Vasily Nebenzia, Russia’s UN ambassador, described Israel’s UNRWA ban as “terrible” and said it worsens the situation in Gaza.
Countries including Jordan, Russia, China, Australia, Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Norway, Slovenia, and Spain condemned the Knesset’s decision to ban UNRWA.
UNRWA was created by the UN General Assembly in 1949 to support Palestinian refugees expelled from their homes during the creation of Israel, provide humanitarian services in Gaza, and support millions of Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria. The decision to ban UNRWA support during the ongoing genocide in Gaza is deeply concerning.
Earlier this year, the U.S. decision to stop funding the UNRWA after Israel accused 13 of its staff’s involvement with Hamas, was widely criticized.
The souring relations between UNRWA and Israel would also preclude Israel from issuing entry and work permits to foreign UNRWA staff and prevent coordination with the Israeli military to permit aid shipments.
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