DayofPal- The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) is prohibited from operating on Israeli territory and in areas under Israeli control by two contentious bills that were approved by the Israeli parliament.
At a time when the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is getting worse and Israel is facing mounting pressure to permit aid supplies to enter the country, the legislation, which was passed on Monday, runs the risk of upending the already precarious aid distribution system.
UNRWA’s operations in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem, and Gaza will be closed as a result of the 90-day ban, which will essentially prevent the organization from carrying out its 1949 UN General Assembly mandate.
It is anticipated that the action will significantly limit UNRWA’s ability to work in areas that Israel controls.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini quickly denounced the vote, calling it “the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA and delegitimize its role toward providing human-development assistance and services to Palestine refugees” and a violation of international law.
Adnan Abu Hasna, the media adviser for UNRWA, stated that the entire humanitarian process would come to an end if Israel were to ban the organization.
The Israeli legislation banning the UN agency for Palestinian refugees has met a wave of criticism by several countries, including the United States, who have expressed deep concerns about the controversial ban, which could impact the education, food, healthcare, and livelihoods of millions of Palestinians who depend on the agency.
The 2.4 million residents of Gaza have been displaced at least once since October of last year, and UNRWA and other humanitarian organizations have accused Israel of severely limiting the flow of aid into the enclave. More than 43,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to health officials.
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