Haaretz:The law against "UNRWA" is part of the Israeli war against the establishment of a Palestinian state

On October 28, 2024, the Israeli Knesset enacted the "Law to Stop UNRWA's Activity in the Areas of the State of Israel," which officially came into effect last month. This legislation imposes two interrelated measures: first, it prohibits the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating in areas under Israeli sovereignty, including occupied East Jerusalem; second, it terminates all work relations and communications between Israel and UNRWA, effectively annulling Israel’s 1967 commitments to provide protection, freedom of movement, and mobility for the agency's staff in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Although Israel lacks legal authority to prevent UNRWA's operations in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, it maintains effective control over crossings and borders, which enables it to obstruct the agency’s work. By withdrawing permits and ceasing coordination, Israel bars UNRWA from using Israeli ports or facilitating the transportation of essential humanitarian aid, including food, medicine, medical equipment, fuel, and water, into the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The Israeli military’s refusal to grant access permits exposes UNRWA’s medical personnel, emergency responders, aid workers, and distribution teams to life-threatening risks, paralyzing the agency’s ability to deliver humanitarian services.

The initiative to dismantle UNRWA’s presence predates the current Israeli war on Gaza and is rooted in Israel’s long-standing hostility toward the agency, which serves as a cornerstone of the international community’s commitment to Palestinian refugees. However, the war created an opportune moment to advance this agenda, particularly following Israeli accusations that some UNRWA employees were involved in the events of October 7. In January 2024, Israel claimed it possessed evidence against 12,000 out of 13,000 UNRWA staff members in Gaza, although no substantiated proof was publicly provided.

The law was framed as a security measure against a so-called “hostile organization” allegedly cooperating with “terrorist groups” and posing a threat to Israel’s security (as stated by Knesset Member Yuli Edelstein, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, during a plenary session on October 28, 2023). However, no credible evidence has been presented to support allegations of direct cooperation between UNRWA and Hamas, let alone claims of the agency’s involvement in armed activities. An independent investigative committee, led by former French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and established by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, concluded that Israel had failed to provide evidence substantiating these accusations.

The true implications of this legislation cannot be understood without recognizing the catastrophic humanitarian consequences for millions of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip, who depend entirely on UNRWA’s emergency relief and social services. The most immediate and devastating impact is felt in Gaza, where the population, already enduring over 15 months of mass killings, environmental destruction, forced displacement, starvation, and disease outbreaks, now faces an existential crisis due to severe restrictions on life-saving humanitarian aid.

By effectively crippling UNRWA’s ability to operate, Israel is deepening the humanitarian catastrophe for Palestinian refugees, who remain among the most vulnerable populations globally. The deliberate targeting of UNRWA, the primary provider of education, healthcare, and social services to Palestinian refugees, represents not only a violation of international humanitarian law but also a direct assault on the rights and dignity of the Palestinian people.