Israeli ban of UNRWA

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On October 28, 2024, the Israeli Knesset passed two laws that will ban all United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operations within Israel within three months. Additionally, the laws will end any official relationships between government employees and UNRWA, stripping the agency's staff of their legal immunities. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Background

In July 2024, the Israeli Knesset moved forward with a bill to designate UNRWA as a "terrorist organization". [5] The move was met with criticism abroad, with the European Union's chief diplomat Josep Borrell calling the move "nonsense" and a threat to "regional stability and human dignity". [6] The US State department said the legislative push should be stopped and stated Israels attacks on UNRWA were "incredibly unhelpful." [7]

The two UNRWA-ban laws passed the Knesset by 92–10 votes; the opposition parties Yesh Atid, National Unity, and Yisrael Beiteinu voted in favor, while The Democrats abstained. [8]

Impact

The impacts of a UNRWA ban are expected to be "catastrophic" if implemented, as Israel's legislation earmarked no alternative humanitarian agency to replace it. An estimated 2 million Palestinians in Gaza rely on UNRWA for humanitarian aid, and 1 million people are using UNRWA shelters for food and healthcare in Gaza. [9] The Gaza Strip faces severe a humanitarian crisis, destruction of its educational and healthcare systems, threat of famine, and epidemics. [10] The U.S. State Department warned that without UNRWA, "you will see civilians — including children, including babies — not be able to get access to food and water and medicine that they need to live". [11]

In the West Bank, UNRWA runs schools and health clinics, and distributes food, shelter, loans, cash grants, and health services. [9] Keir Starmer, the prime minister of the UK, stated the ban jeopardized the "delivery of essential health and education services in the West Bank". [12]

Reactions

In a joint statement representing the Nordic countries, the foreign ministers of Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden stated they were "deeply concerned" by Israel's legislation. [13] Espen Barth Eide, the foreign minister of Norway, stated, "Norway has not only condemned this, we have also made clear that our view is that this decision is illegal under international law. Nobody stands above the law [and] that also applies to Israel." [14] Norway further requested the UN General Assembly to request an ICJ ruling on the legality of Israel's bans. [15]

The foreign ministers of the UK, France, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan, and South Korea stated that restricting UNRWA would have "devastating consequences on an already critical and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation" in the Gaza Strip. [16] Japan stated it would strengthen its pressure on Israel not to implement the ban. [17] The foreign ministry of Belgium stated Israel's bills were "in direct breach of Israel’s obligations under international law." [18] Turkey's foreign ministry called the ban a clear violation of international law. [19] The law was further condemned by the governments of Luxembourg, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Spain. [12] A joint statement by the UN delegations of Algeria, Belgium, Brazil, Guyana, Indonesia, Ireland, Jordan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Qatar, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain and the State of Palestine, said that if they were implemented, the Israeli bills would represent "violations of international humanitarian law, and in particular the Fourth Geneva Convention". [20] The U.S. stated, "There could be consequences under U.S. law and U.S. policy for the implementation of this legislation". [21]

In a statement, Islamic Relief stated, "Israel is bombing and starving Palestinians to death, and now by banning UNRWA it has cut off a crucial lifeline for millions of people. This decision will kill many more people, which the Israeli government was fully aware of when it passed the bill." [22] U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated the ban violates international law, the U.N. Charter, and a 1946 U.N. convention. [21] The Secretary General of Amnesty International, Agnès Callamard, stated, "This unconscionable law is an outright attack on the rights of Palestinian refugees... It amounts to the criminalization of humanitarian aid and will worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian crisis." [23]

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Israel approves two bills that could halt UNRWA's aid delivery to Gaza. What does that mean?". AP News. 28 October 2024.
  2. ↑ "Knesset Approves Bills Banning UN Relief Agency UNRWA From Operating in Israel - Israel News - Haaretz.com".
  3. ↑ "Unrwa: Israel bans UN Palestinian refugee agency, raising Gaza aid fears". www.bbc.com.
  4. ↑ Staff, Al Jazeera. "'Intolerable', 'dangerous precedent': World condemns Israel's UNRWA ban". Al Jazeera.
  5. ↑ Mackenzie, James. "Israeli parliament votes to label UN relief agency a terror organisation". Reuters. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  6. ↑ "EU foreign policy chief calls Israeli move to outlaw UNRWA 'nonsense'". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 3 August 2024. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
  7. ↑ "US defends UNRWA after Israel moves to deem it terror group". www.euractiv.com. 25 July 2024. Archived from the original on 10 September 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
  8. ↑ Breuer, Eliav (28 October 2024). "Israel outlaws UNRWA, bucking international pressure". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  9. 1 2 Ebrahim, Nadeen; Arafa, Salma. "Israel has banned the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. That could be devastating for millions". CNN. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  10. ↑ Speakman Cordall, Simon. "Politics and starvation: Gaza learns of Israel's decision to ban UNRWA". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  11. ↑ Smith, Alexander. "Why Israel's UNRWA ban could be devastating for Palestinians". NBC News. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  12. 1 2 "European governments condemn Israel legislation on UNRWA". Regional Information Centre for Western Europe. United Nations. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  13. ↑ "Nordic statement on the draft legal bills in the Knesset related to UNRWA". Government.no . Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 25 October 2024.
  14. ↑ "Israel's UNRWA ban 'a breach of international law': Norway". Al Jazeera English. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  15. ↑ "Norway asks the UN to clarify Israel's obligations under international law". Government.no. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  16. ↑ England, Andrew; Zilber, Neri. "Israel bill to restrict UN relief for Palestinians sparks 'grave concern'" . Financial Times. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  17. ↑ "Japan Seriously Concerned about Israel's Ban on UNRWA". Nippon. Retrieved 3 November 2024.
  18. ↑ Giordano, Elena. "Israel bans UNRWA: The world reacts". Politico. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  19. ↑ Gumrukcu, Tuvan. "Turkey says Israel's move to ban UNRWA violates international law". Reuters. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  20. ↑ "Joint Statement of the Core Group of the "Shared Commitments" in Support of UNRWA". Permanent Mission of Ireland to the United Nations, New York. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  21. ↑ "Israel's UNRWA ban will kill many more Palestinians". ReliefWeb. Islamic Relief. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
  22. ↑ "Law to ban UNRWA amounts to criminalization of humanitarian aid". Amnesty International. Retrieved 1 November 2024.
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