UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations stressed Tuesday that if Israel enacts new laws cutting ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, the Israeli government will have to meet their needs under international law.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stated in a letter obtained by The Associated Press that there is no alternative to the agency, known as UNRWA. It has been a lifeline during the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, and the Israeli legislation “will have devastating consequences for Palestinian refugees” in Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
The UN agencies for children, health, and migration also emphasised that UNRWA is the “backbone” of the world body's operations in Gaza, where people have relied on its emergency food aid and health centres during the yearlong war, which has killed tens of thousands and left much of the enclave in ruins.
The United Nations is encouraged by statements of support for UNRWA from various countries, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, adding, “We would very much appreciate efforts by any member state to help us get over this hurdle.”
Israel has alleged that some of UNRWA’s 13,000 staffers in Gaza participated in the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas that sparked the war. It has also accused hundreds of UNRWA staff of having militant ties and claimed to have found Hamas military assets in or under the agency’s facilities.
Israel's New Laws
Two laws passed Monday could prevent UNRWA from continuing its work. Even the US, Israel's closest ally, has joined many governments and humanitarian organisations in opposing the legislation, which won’t take effect for three months.
Guterres sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu outlining his concerns.
As an occupying power, under international humanitarian law, Israel is required to ensure that the needs of Palestinians are met, including for food, health care, and education, Guterres stated. If Israel cannot meet those needs, it must allow and facilitate the activities of the UN, as “UNRWA is the principal means by which assistance is supplied to Palestinian refugees.”
If UNRWA's activities are restricted or halted, Guterres warned that Israel would have to fill the vacuum “to ensure the needs of the population are met.”
“Otherwise, it would be in violation of international law,” Dujarric added.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Responds
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon responded by stating, “Rather than condemning UNRWA for turning a blind eye to terrorism and, in some cases, participating in it, the UN instead condemns Israel.”
He claimed that UNRWA isn’t interested in providing humanitarian aid to Gaza, calling it “nothing but an arm of Hamas operating under the guise of the United Nations.”
“Israel will continue to facilitate humanitarian aid in Gaza according to international law,” Danon said, “but UNRWA has failed in its mandate and is no longer the right agency for this job.”
Dismay from UN Agencies
World Health Organisation spokesman Tarik Jasarevic noted that UNRWA health workers have provided over 6 million medical consultations over the past year. They have also offered immunisations, disease surveillance, and screening for malnutrition, and UNRWA’s work “couldn’t be matched by any agency, including WHO,” he stated.
Jeremy Laurence, spokesman for the UN human rights office, said that “without UNRWA, the delivery of food, shelter, health care, and education, among other things, to most of Gaza’s population would grind to a halt.”
UNRWA was established by the UN General Assembly in 1949 to provide relief for Palestinians who fled or were expelled from their homes before and during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that followed Israel’s establishment, as well as their descendants.
Israel Faces Criticism
In conjunction with the Israeli laws, Norway announced Tuesday that it will ask the 193-nation General Assembly to request a ruling from the top United Nations court regarding whether Israel is obligated to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians by international organisations, including the UN.
The International Court of Justice in July condemned Israel’s rule over the Palestinian territories, declaring its occupation unlawful. The nonbinding opinion called on Israel to end its occupation and immediately halt settlement construction.
Norway’s foreign minister, Espen Barth Eide, told the AP that Israel's policy is making it increasingly difficult for Palestinians to access life-saving assistance. He stated that Norway will argue that even if Israel's occupation is illegal, it has obligations, "and we believe that these are not met.”
Guterres informed Netanyahu that while the Israeli laws prohibit any activity by UNRWA “within the sovereign territory of the State of Israel,” the UN considers Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem to be part of the occupied Palestinian territory and that Israel has no sovereignty there due to its occupation.
Meanwhile, at the U.N.’s regular Security Council meeting on the Middle East open to all U.N. members this month speakers supported UNRWA and nearly all called for immediate cease-fires in Gaza and Lebanon.
U.S. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield expressed deep concern over the Israeli legislation, stating, “Right now, there is no alternative to UNRWA when it comes to delivering food and other life-saving aid in Gaza.”
She also called on Guterres “to create a mechanism to review and address allegations that UNRWA personnel have ties to Hamas and other terrorist groups.”
Dujarric mentioned that the U.N.'s internal watchdog is currently investigating those allegations. He added that a letter from the Israeli government last week raising specific undisclosed issues is also being taken “extremely seriously.”
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller warned that the Israeli legislation “poses risks for millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for essential services.”
Miller reiterated that the U.S. opposes the legislation and will be discussing it with Israel in the coming days. He noted there may be consequences under U.S. law and policy if the legislation takes effect, referencing a letter sent by Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to their Israeli counterparts, stating that humanitarian aid must increase or Israel risks losing military assistance.