KNESSET, Israel’s parliament passed three bills in its first reading to close the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and designate it a “terrorist organization”.
Jordan’s Foreign Ministry in a statement posted on X said the Knesset’s move amounted to “an attempt to assassinate the body, kill it politically, and target its symbolism, which affirms the right of Palestinian refugees to return and compensation in accordance with international law.”
Ministry spokesman Sufyan Al-Qudah added that Israel’s actions against UNRWA, which aim to “kill it and nullify its important and fundamental role in providing humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people”, are a violation of international law.
Palestinian groups said the bill in the Israeli parliament, which passed its first reading, warned of “the war of hunger that Israel is waging against refugees, not only in Gaza but also in the refugee camps in the West Bank, and in Jerusalem”.
In a statement on its official Telegram channel, Palestinian Islamic Jihad said this was a step towards the complete annexation of the West Bank by Israel.
“This is also one of the many steps taken by Israel to liquidate Palestinian rights and end the Palestinian cause by pursuing refugees and their rights,” he charged.
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PLO Secretary-General Hussein al-Sheikh said the bill targeting UN agencies providing aid to Palestinians showed “Israel’s disregard for the international community and its global institutions”.
“The Israeli occupation is the worst form of terrorism carried out against the Palestinian people. And the Knesset’s decision to target international humanitarian organizations must be met with a global stance,” al-Sheikh said.
He urged countries to support the agency “financially, politically and morally, so that it can continue to carry out its humanitarian role towards the people affected by the Israeli occupation”.
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Earlier, Philippe Lazzarini, the head of UNRWA, said Israeli forces had opened fire on a UN convoy heading to Gaza City on Sunday even though the movement had been coordinated and approved by Israeli authorities.
Now, Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, has confirmed Lazzarini’s version of events.
“A convoy of our UNRWA colleagues came under fire from Israeli forces as they headed north towards Gaza City,” Dujarric said, adding that according to Lazzarini, the convoy’s movements had been “coordinated with the Israeli authorities, and those responsible for yesterday’s incident must be held accountable.”
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There were no injuries in the attack, the UNRWA chief said.
Lazzarini shared photos on X resulting from his visit to the agency’s headquarters in Gaza City, which it announced a week ago had been “leveled and turned into a battlefield.”
The photos show the ruins of the complex, its exterior painted with a clearly recognizable UN logo.
“This used to be home to our headquarters and one of the largest UN compounds in the region. … It is one of hundreds of UN buildings destroyed in this war,” Lazzarini wrote.
He added those responsible for the destruction of the office must be identified and brought to justice.
“Whether it is Palestinian armed groups including Hamas or Israeli forces, those responsible must be held to account for yet another flagrant disregard for international humanitarian law.”
It is known that the Israeli Parliament has passed three bills in its first reading to close the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) and designate it as a “terrorist organization”.
The first bill would ban UNRWA from carrying out any mission, providing any services or carrying out any activity in Israeli territory. It passed by a vote of 58-9, The Times of Israel reported.
The second bill passed by a vote of 63-9 and calls for revoking the legal immunity and privileges offered to UN staff in Israel.
The third bill calls for designating the UN agency as a “terrorist organization” and requiring Israel to sever ties with it. It passed by a 50-10 vote.
The three bills will now go to the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for further deliberation. They will need two more readings to become effective.
Israel has lobbied hard to close UNRWA, especially since it began its war on Gaza in October. (Al Jazeera/Z-3)
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