- Israel passes law banning UNRWA amid Gaza aid concerns
- UNRWA banned from Israel for at least three months, office to close and staff no longer have legal immunity
- New law prohibits contact between UNRWA staff and Israeli officials
- It means essential aid transfers into Gaza will be seriously impacted
Israel passes law banning UNRWA amid Gaza aid concerns
Israel’s parliament has approved legislation to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and Israeli-controlled East Jerusalem within the next three months. The new law prohibits contact between UNRWA staff and Israeli officials, severely impacting the agency’s work in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, as cooperation with Israel’s military is essential for aid transfers into Gaza.
UNRWA, the primary UN agency supporting Palestinian refugees, will also see its East Jerusalem headquarters closed, and its staff will no longer have legal immunity within Israel.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticised the move, warning it could undermine efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and endanger regional stability. UNRWA’s chief, Philippe Lazzarini, stated that the legislation would “deepen the suffering of Palestinians.”
Countries like the US, UK, and Germany have expressed serious concerns. UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the law as “totally wrong,” while Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer warned that it could make UNRWA’s essential work “impossible,” potentially jeopardising international humanitarian efforts in Gaza.