The implementation of the ban on the operations of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Israel from Thursday will have catastrophic consequences. This was warned by the agency's commissioner-general Philippe Lazzarini on Tuesday during a Security Council meeting, quoted by News.bg.
"In two days, our operations in the occupied Palestinian territory will be crippled. The full implementation of the Knesset legislation would be catastrophic," Lazzarini told the 15-member council.
The new legislation, passed in October, bans UNRWA operations in Israeli territory, including East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in a move not recognized by the international community. The ban also calls for the agency to cease all contact with Israeli authorities as of January 30.
"The agency must cease its activities and vacate all of its premises in Jerusalem, including those in Ma'alot Dafna and Kafr Aqab," said Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon. "Israel will cease all cooperation and contact with the agency or individuals associated with it."
However, the restrictions will not only affect Jerusalem. Operations in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which provide humanitarian assistance, health care and education to millions of people in the Palestinian territories and neighboring countries such as Syria, Lebanon and Jordan, will also be severely affected.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres described UNRWA as the "backbone of humanitarian assistance in Gaza", which has been severely affected by the 15-month war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement.
The United States expressed support for Israel's decision. "We support Israel's sovereign right to close the agency's offices in Jerusalem," said acting US Ambassador to the UN Dorothy Shea. She stressed that a "nuanced discussion" was needed to avoid disruption of humanitarian services and assured that there were other organizations capable of providing assistance.
However, the UN has repeatedly insisted that UNRWA has no alternative in the region. According to Lazzarini, since October 2023, the agency has provided two-thirds of the food aid to the region, vaccinated hundreds of thousands of children and provided daily medical consultations to thousands of people.
Israel has sharply criticized UNRWA, accusing agency staff of participating in Hamas attacks. The UN has promised to investigate the allegations but expressed concerns that Israel has not provided the necessary evidence.
According to Lazzarini, the agency is the target of a "fierce disinformation campaign" that aims to portray it as a terrorist organization.