Israel’s key allies express worries over planned law to restrict UN agency for Palestine
As the war in Gaza rages on, the foreign ministers of a number of key Israeli allies — Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea and the UK — have release a joint statement expressing “grave concern” over draft legislation in the parliament proposed to stop the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East from operating in Israel or working with Israeli officials.
The allies say the “UNRWA provides essential and life-saving humanitarian aid and basic services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, East Jerusalem, the West Bank and throughout the region.”
“Without its work, the provision of such assistance and services, including education, health care, and fuel distribution in Gaza and the West Bank would be severely hampered if not impossible, with devastating consequences on an already critical and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, particularly in northern Gaza.”
They “urge the Israeli Government to abide by its international obligations, keep the reserve privileges and immunities of UNRWA untouched and live up to its responsibility to facilitate full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance in all its forms as well as the provision of sorely needed basic services to the civilian population.”
Recall that Israel alleged that more than 10 percent of UNRWA’s staff in Gaza have ties to terror, and that educational facilities are under the organization’s control.
Despite the allegations, the foreign ministers pointed out that UNRWA “has taken steps to address allegations regarding individual employees’ support for terrorist organizations and demonstrated its willingness to pursue and implement reform of internal processes.”
