Helping Palestinian refugees.

UNRWA, the only UN organization providing aid to Palestinian refugees, is now a terrorist organization in the eyes of Israel. Israel's parliament, the Knesset, has given preliminary approval to a bill declaring UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East) a terrorist organization. According to Israeli media, two more bills have been approved along with this bill. Through which the organization will be prevented from working in the Tel Aviv area. Apart from this, UNRWA personnel have also been deprived of the facilities given to UN employees.

Israel has been accusing UNRWA of being involved in activities against Israel since the beginning of the war. Israel alleges that 12 UNRWA personnel were involved in the Hamas attack on 7 October. In the last few months, attacks against UNRWA personnel have also increased inside Israel. Right-wing Israelis have several times targeted UNRWA aid vehicles going to Gaza.

Opposition to the Knesset's bill

Speaking on the Knesset move, UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma said, “Such incidents are unheard of in the history of the United Nations and are yet another attempt in a broader campaign to dismantle the agency.” Hamas has also opposed the bill. In its statement, Hamas said, “We consider this action illegal and unlawful, carried out on behalf of an occupying power, Israel, to eliminate the Palestinian issue, most prominent among which is the issue of refugees and their right to return to their homes.”

Islamic Jihad, another Palestinian resistance group, said the move “warns that Israel is preparing to wage a starvation war against Palestinian refugees.”

Bill approved in first reading itself

The Knesset press briefing said that the bill has already been approved in the first reading and will be sent back to the Foreign and Defense Committee for further deliberations. UNRWA provides education, health and aid to millions of Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. There have been long-standing differences between Israel and UNRW, but relations have deteriorated rapidly since the war began in Gaza and Israel has repeatedly called for the dissolution of UNRWA.