Israeli’s law, which has been enforced on Thursday, will threaten the strategy of major UN organizations that provide important humanitarian support in the Gaza area after a year of more than one year has left the territory.
The law prohibits the institution UNRWA from all activities of Israel and effectively blocks the ability to provide assistance to Gaza. Officially, the institution that is officially known as the UN Relief and Labor Bureau for the Palestinian refugees in the near -East is shelters in the west coast and neighboring countries of the Israeli tribe. Provides food and water.
Israel has accused UNRWA that he is acting under the influence of Hamas and cannot behave as a neutral assistance group. Israel says that UNRWA employs many Hamas members, including those who have participated in the Hamas -led attack on Israel.
Israel has argued that other UN organizations and aid groups can intervene in UNRWA. However, the aid authorities say that removing the United Nations, the largest humanitarian organization in Gaza, will severely impair the efforts of assistance.
COGAT, a military unit of Israel, who is in charge of coordinating the delivery of Gaza, has been subordinate to Israel’s law, and the government “implements the best law as possible.”
Let’s take a look at what the ban is for Palestinians after Gaza.
Why is Israel and UNRWA conflicted?
The relationship between Israel and UNRWA has been nervous for decades.
The United Nations was established in 1949 to take care of the Palestinians who were evacuated with their descendants during the war surrounding the establishment of the Israeli state.
The Palestinian UN representative, Liyad Mansour, told the Security Board that he had been working to dismantle the institution for a long time as part of the strategy of depriving the Palestinians who evacuated the position of refugees. 。 Israel opposes.
Israel has accused the institution that it plays a political role by permanently permanently the status of Palestinian refugees over multiple generations.
Israel has many years that Hamas has invaded the UNRWA rank and hides fighters using the school. An analysis of the New York Times, which was seized by Israel, shows that at least 24 Hamas members and Palestinian extremist groups of Islamic Hard worked in a school operated by UNRWA.
Last year, Israel said that 18 UNRWA employees participated in an attack on Hamas -led Israel on October 7, 2023. The United Nations investigated Israel’s accusation and found that nine employees could have participated in the attack. At least nine employees were fired.
After Israel accused Hamas invading the institution, the Biden administration Pause Annual funding to UNRWA and millions of March parliament Ban US funding to the organization for one year。 Many countries that have stopped assisting to the agency Later I revived it last year.
What is Israel’s law saying?
The overwhelming majority of Israeli members passed two laws in October.
One law has banned all UNRWA activities on Israeli soil. This includes East Jerusalem, which is the largest in the world, which was annexed by Israel after the 1967 Arab Israel War in the 1967 Arab Israel War. A territory via Israel.
Other laws prohibit contact between Israeli officials and those who act on behalf of UNRWA or organization. This restriction comes into effect on Thursday, 90 days after the lawmakers have enacted the law.
This law has requested that Israeli governments regularly report the laws of the law to Israel, and emphasizes that Israel can still take legal measures against UNRWA employees. Masu.
Ron Kats, one of the sponsors of the bill, equally equated Hamas and UN organizations when the law was passed.
What does it mean for Gaza?
Since the ceasefire was enforced this month, hundreds of trucks, fuel, and other supplies have arrived in Gaza every day. However, the need is huge after the 15 -month war, and UNRWA forms a supply chain backbone there.
UNRWA’s chief, Philippe Lazzarini, has recently told the United Nations Security Council that this ban will “significantly weaken international humanitarian response”, and “it has already worsened the catastrophic living conditions.” He said. He added X post Last Friday, the ban was “interfered with the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.”
According to Sam Rose, Gaza UNRWA operations director, the group is still stored in the territory for several weeks.
Israel may allow UNRWA to transfer thousands of tracks to Israel, despite the technical violation of the law.
“Curtains will not fall at once,” said Danny Dannon, a UN ambassador to Israel, and said it might take several days or weeks to enforce the law in a letter.
The biggest challenge of UNRWA in Gaza is a few weeks later, when the aid decreases and foreign staff needs to rotate from the territory. Under the ban, it is impossible to secure approval to submit additional assistance and get a visa for the staff.
For now, the only land access to Gaza is through Israel.
Israel wants to take over the role of UNRWA, such as UNICEF and World Food Programs. However, the United Nations strongly opposes and is concerned that this could set a dangerous precedent.
UNRWA also states that Gaza’s 5,000 members, a wide range of logistics networks, and deep trust between local residents cannot be replaced. The group claims that only UNRWA will help Israel to support the vomiting of at least 600 trucks per day in accordance with the terms of the ceasefire contract with Hamas.
According to two Israelites and two western diplomats, Israel, which has been supported by the United States, is trying to force other UNICEF and other UNICEF and other aid organizations to take over more responsibilities. The United Nations strongly opposes and is concerned that this can set a dangerous precedent
What does Israel mean?
From Thursday, UNRWA officials cannot work legally in Israel.
Last week, Israel told the institution that there were six days to close the headquarters of East Jerusalem, which was annexed by Israel after the 1967 war.
Many staff have already left, according to Juliet Toyma, a global communication director of the institution. She described this development as “one of the sad days in her life.”
UNRWA also needs to close some schools that educate about 1,000 Palestinian children and clinics, which provide thousands of services in East Jerusalem.
Jerusalem is ready to provide services to school students operated by Israeli authorities, according to two local governments who claimed anonymous to speak freely. But in fact, one of the officials said that it could take some time for UNRWA schools to be closed.
UNRWA is forced to close the headquarters on the west coast, which has been operating in Jerusalem since the 1950s. According to Touma, many of the staff are already gone.
What does it mean for the west coast of the Jordan River?
UNRWA is forced to close facilities on the west coast of the Israeli (mostly composed of clinics and schools). But that will face the distribution of logistics that provide assistance.
And because the border on the west coast is dominated by Israel, foreign employees at the agency cannot work there.
Adam Lasgon,, Aaron Boxman and Fanz Fascihi Contributed report.