Israel bans operations of UN aid agency for Palestinian refugees
The lack of coordination with Tel Aviv will make it nearly impossible for the United Nations relief agency to work in Gaza and the West Bank.
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The Israeli Parliament on Monday passed two legislations to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East from operating in the country.
The agency is the main United Nations Palestinian refugee body.
The lawmakers who drafted the legislation cited the alleged involvement of some staffers of the agency in Palestinian militant group Hamas’ invasion of southern Israel on October 7, 2023, Reuters reported. About 1,200 persons were killed in the attack and more than 200 persons were taken hostage.
Israel has since been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, killing more than 43,000 persons including 16,500 children.
The lawmakers also allege that some of the staffers are members of Hamas and other militant groups, Reuters reported.
The legislations passed by the Israeli Parliament on Tuesday does not refer to the UN agency’s operations in the Palestinian territories, but the implementation of the laws will curtail relief activities in Gaza and the West Bank.
Proposed to take effect after 90 days, the legislations bar Israeli authorities from having contact with the UN agency.
Tel Aviv will stop issuing entrance permits for the UN staffers to enter the Palestinian territories. The lack of coordination with Israeli authorities will make it nearly impossible for the refugee agency to work...
