On October 28, 2024, the Israeli Knesset passed two laws that will ban all United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) operations within Israel. The law is scheduled to take effect three months after date of passage. 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] On 4 November 2024, Israel notified the United Nations of its termination of their agreement, an apparent step toward implementing its legislation.[5]
Background
In July 2024, the Israeli Knesset moved forward with a bill to designate UNRWA as a "terrorist organization".[6] 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".[7] The US State department said the legislative push should be stopped and stated Israels attacks on UNRWA were "incredibly unhelpful."[8]
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. The legislation would bar the Israeli military from coordinating with UNRWA to permit aid shipments and disrupt aid routes into the Gaza Strip.[10][11] 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.[12] The Gaza Strip faces severe a humanitarian crisis, destruction of its educational and healthcare systems, threat of famine, and epidemics.[13] 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".[14]
In the West Bank, UNRWA runs schools and health clinics, and distributes food, shelter, loans, cash grants, and health services.[12]Keir Starmer, the prime minister of the UK, stated the ban jeopardized the "delivery of essential health and education services in the West Bank".[15] The law was also expected to directly impact the agency's institutions operating in East Jerusalem.[16]
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.[17]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."[18] Norway further requested the UN General Assembly to request an ICJ ruling on the legality of Israel's bans.[19]Josep Borrell, the top diplomat of the European Unions, stated the EU "condemned any attempt to abrogate the 1967 agreement between Israel and UNRWA."[20]
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.[21] Japan stated it would strengthen its pressure on Israel not to implement the ban.[22] The foreign ministry of Belgium stated Israel's bills were "in direct breach of Israel’s obligations under international law."[23] Turkey's foreign ministry called the ban a clear violation of international law.[24] The law was further condemned by the governments of Luxembourg, Portugal, Germany, Slovenia, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, and Spain.[15] 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".[25] The U.S. stated, "There could be consequences under U.S. law and U.S. policy for the implementation of this legislation".[26]
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."[27] U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated the ban violates international law, the U.N. Charter, and a 1946 U.N. convention.[26] 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."[28]Philippe Lazzarini, the commissioner-general of UNRWA, stated Israel's legislation "opposes the UN Charter and violates the State of Israel’s obligations under international law."[29]
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinians expressed concern about what would happen if the laws were to be implemented, with one person stating, "The organization is the main artery from which we breathe. If the organization is gone, then we as a Palestinian people are finished."[30]
