Israeli Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that it has officially notified the United Nations of the termination of its cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). This agreement, which has been in place since 1967, has now been canceled.
Last month, the Israeli parliament passed legislation prohibiting UNRWA operations in Israel and halting all official contacts between the Israeli government and the organization.
UNRWA is a major institution of the United Nations that provides humanitarian aid and educational services to millions of Palestinian refugees in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, established following the 1948 war at the founding of Israel.
Israel has long been critical of the organization, accusing it of holding anti-Israel positions and prolonging the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians by keeping Palestinians in a long-term refugee status.
Since the outbreak of the conflict with Hamas last year, Israel has accused UNRWA of being deeply infiltrated by the Islamic extremist group Hamas, alleging that some of its staff were involved in a terrorist attack against Israel on October 7th last year.
Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon stated in a release that despite substantial evidence provided to the United Nations about Hamas infiltration into UNRWA, no action has been taken to address this issue.
While the ban does not affect UNRWA operations in Palestinian territories or other regions, some Western allies of the UN and Israel are concerned that this legislation may further deteriorate the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip.
According to international law, this legislation does not directly prohibit UNRWA operations in the West Bank and Gaza, as these areas are considered occupied by Israel but not part of Israeli territory.
However, the law will significantly impact UNRWA’s operational capacity in these regions, causing concerns among the organization and many of its partners in Israel.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry stated that assistance activities from other international organizations will be expanded, saying that they are “preparing to end ties with UNRWA and promote alternative solutions.”
On August 5, 2024, the United Nations announced on its official website that nine UNRWA staff members would be dismissed due to evidence suggesting they were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack against Israel.
The Hamas militants launched a terrorist attack in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, sparking the conflict with Israel.
According to Israeli government statistics, the “October 7th terrorist attack” resulted in over 1,200 people being killed, with more than 250 taken hostage by Hamas. It is believed that around 100 hostages are still being held in Gaza, with one-third possibly deceased.
(This article referenced reporting from Reuters)