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The European Union has expressed “deep concern” over proposed Israeli legislation that would prohibit the UNRWA from operating in Israel and likely reduce aid distribution in war-torn Gaza, reports Aljazeera.
An Israeli parliamentary committee approved a bill that would ban UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) from operating in Israeli territory and end all contact between the government and the UN agency. The bill needs final approval from Israel’s parliament.
“The European Union expresses its grave concern about the draft bill on UNRWA currently discussed in the Israeli parliament,” the EU said in a statement released on Saturday.
European Union emphasized its strong support for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s position on the draft bill that, if passed, might have “disastrous consequences” for the UN’s ability to assist Palestinian refugees.
“The EU urges the Israeli authorities to ensure that UNRWA is allowed to continue carrying out its crucial work in line with its mandate adopted by the UN General Assembly,” the EU noted.
“UNRWA provides essential services to millions of people in Gaza, the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and across the region, including Lebanon, Syria and Jordan and is a pillar of regional stability. It also plays a fundamental role in ensuring the conditions on the ground for a credible pathway towards the two-state solution.”
Israel has campaigned for years against UNRWA, the main organization that has been delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians.
Earlier this year, Israel accused that some of the staff members of the agency had participated in the October 7 attack, led by Hamas, on Israel. As a result, more than a dozen international donors stopped their support. In response, the UN launched an investigation into these allegations, resulting in the dismissal of nine staff members, with the records of others still under review. However, most donors have since resumed their funding.
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