
Tiia Monto
On Tuesday, Israel’s representative to the United Nations announced that the country will terminate all interactions with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and any associated entities. This decision follows Israel’s ongoing allegations that the agency has compromised its security.
UNRWA’s operations and personnel within Israel are crucial for delivering healthcare and educational services to Palestinians. However, tensions between Israeli officials and the agency have persisted for an extended period. According to UNRWA, it has facilitated the delivery of 60 percent of the food supplies that have reached Gaza since the onset of the conflict triggered by the raid on October 7, 2023.
The envoy, Danny Danon, stated that the legislation prohibits UNRWA from functioning within the sovereign territory of the State of Israel and restricts any interactions between Israeli officials and UNRWA. He made these remarks prior to a UN Security Council meeting concerning Israel’s enactment of legislation that will terminate the organization’s legal status in Israel within 48 hours.
Danon further asserted that Israel will cease all forms of collaboration, communication, and contact with UNRWA or any representatives acting on its behalf. Israel alleges that several UNRWA employees were implicated in the tragic assault on October 7, 2023, and maintains that alternative organizations can adequately provide essential services, aid, and reconstruction, a claim that the UN contests.
A series of investigations, including one conducted by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna, identified certain “neutrality-related concerns” within UNRWA. However, it emphasized that Israel had not substantiated its primary accusations.
Philippe Lazzarini, the agency’s leader, asserted that UNRWA’s ability to deliver primary healthcare to millions of Palestinians and to restore education for hundreds of thousands of children significantly surpasses that of any other organization. He characterized Israel’s actions against UNRWA as a “relentless assault” detrimental to the lives and future of Palestinians throughout the occupied Palestinian territory.