Banning UNRWA: Historic move or humanitarian crisis in the making? - editorial

While there was a rare consensus on the first day of the Knesset winter session to outlaw UNRWA, the UN agency founded in 1949 to service Palestinian refugees, the international community, including Israel’s closest allies, swiftly condemned the move.

The two government-sponsored bills to outlaw UNRWA presented by Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuli Edelstein (Likud) passed 92-10, with support from opposition parties National Unity, Yisrael Beytenu, and Yesh Atid.

As The Jerusalem Post’s political correspondent Eliav Breuer reported, the first bill states that UNRWA will no longer “operate any institution, provide any service, or conduct any activity, whether directly or indirectly” in Israel, while the second bill states that the treaty between Israel and UNRWA, signed after the Six Day War in 1967, will expire within seven days of the Knesset vote, and henceforth no Israeli government agencies or representatives may contact UNRWA or any of its representatives.

Edelstein hailed the “elimination of one of the arms of terror that acted under UN auspices,” calling the passage of the legislation historic. “UNRWA long ago ceased to be a humanitarian aid agency, but in addition to it being an integral supporter of terror and hate, [it] is an agency to eternalize poverty and suffering,” he declared.

(L-R): UN Chief Antonio Guterres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen over UNIFIL vehicles in Lebanon (illustrative) (credit: REUTERS/ATHIT PERAWONGMETHA, SHUTTERSTOCK)

Criticisms pour in

UN Secretary-General António Guterres led most of the world in denouncing the legislation.

“I am deeply concerned by the adoption today by the Knesset of Israel of two laws concerning UNRWA, which, if implemented, would likely prevent UNRWA from continuing its essential work in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, as mandated by the UN General Assembly,” he said in a statement.

“UNRWA is the principal means by which essential assistance is supplied to Palestine refugees… There is no alternative to UNRWA.”

Among those agreeing with Guterres was Israel’s closest ally, the United States, which said the decision could force UNRWA to halt all its operations in Gaza, the West Bank, and east Jerusalem.

“Implementing the legislation risks catastrophe for the more than 3 million Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for essential services, including health care and primary and secondary education,” the State Department said. “We urge the government of Israel to pause and further consider implementation of this legislation to ensure UNRWA can effectively carry out its mission and facilitate humanitarian assistance.”

Israel’s longstanding opposition to UNRWA, which it argues has historically perpetuated the Palestinian refugee crisis and more recently allowed Hamas to embed itself within the agency’s infrastructure, has climaxed in the year since October 7, 2023.

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Nurit Yohanan, the Palestinian affairs correspondent for KAN, cautioned on X/Twitter that the ban, in practice, applies to only one refugee camp in Jerusalem – Shuafat – and the UN headquarters in Armon Hanatziv.

“The version of the UNRWA law that was approved tonight” applies only “‘in the sovereign state of Israel’ – meaning that UNRWA will be able to continue operating in east Jerusalem and Gaza.”

While Monday’s vote in the Knesset was necessary from Israel’s point of view, the real question now is: what alternative to UNRWA can Israel accept? UNRWA has provided aid, schooling, healthcare, and assistance across the Palestinian territories for more than seven decades. An estimated 2 million Palestinians are currently displaced, and the Gaza Strip is now experiencing extreme shortages of food, water, and medicine.

The official Israeli position was presented by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable,” he said.

“Since avoiding a humanitarian crisis is also essential, sustained humanitarian aid must remain available in Gaza now and in the future. In the 90 days before this legislation takes effect – and after – we stand ready to work with our international partners to ensure Israel continues to facilitate humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not threaten Israel’s security.”

Following the landmark Knesset vote, we urge the prime minister to consult with Israel’s allies and convene a panel of experts to do just that.