Targeting UNRWA and Depriving It of Basic Services Is a Dangerous Escalation and a Deliberate Israeli Political Crime Requiring Firm International Positions and the Imposition of Sanctions
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates strongly condemns the Israeli Knesset for advancing a dangerous draft law aimed at legalizing the deprivation of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) of its basic services in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and allowing the confiscation of its premises and properties. This step constitutes a direct attack on a UN humanitarian agency recognized internationally for its legal immunity and its vital, irreplaceable humanitarian role. Moreover, Israel has no sovereignty over the occupied Palestinian territory, including Jerusalem, nor over UNRWA.
The Ministry warns that the continued targeting of UNRWA by the occupying power does not only affect a humanitarian agency, but represents a serious blow to the entire international humanitarian system and a deliberate attempt to criminalize humanitarian relief, while continuing the war of genocide, forced displacement, and starvation. This places the international community before a real test of its credibility and its commitment to protecting UN institutions and preventing their undermining or subjugation to the will of force and the imposition of fait accompli, in clear violation of the legal advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice regarding UNRWA.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates calls on the international community, including all states, the United Nations, the Security Council, and UN member states, to adopt firm international positions and take immediate and serious action to provide full political and legal protection for UNRWA, ensure its continued ability to carry out its humanitarian mandate without obstruction or threats, impose deterrent sanctions on Israel; and hold it accountable for its grave and ongoing violations of international humanitarian law. The Ministry further calls for accountability for all those involved in legislating this crime against UNRWA, for halting engagement with the occupation government, the Knesset, and its members who incite against the Palestinian people and UN organizations, and for confronting those entities that have made genocide, starvation, forced displacement, terrorism, and extremism a systematic policy.