The Israeli National Assembly this week banned all cooperation with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
Despite strong international protests and warnings, the majority in the Knesset on 28 October passed two laws: One prohibits UNRWA from operating in Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories, while the other prohibits Israeli authorities from having any contact whatsoever with the UN organization. Israel has justified the decision with the fact that the organization has been infiltrated by Hamas and that it participated in the terrorist attack against Israel on 7 October last year. These claims have not been proven.
The decisions will come into force within three months. UNRWA will then have to close its headquarters in Jerusalem, and their staff will not be granted visas to Israel.
The decision does not prohibit UNRWA from working in Gaza, but the ban will make the work much more difficult, both in Gaza and in the West Bank.
In the great uncertainty
UNRWA is thus now thrown into great uncertainty, and it is very uncertain how the organization can continue. The big question is what happens to the Palestinians who are today completely at the mercy of the organization’s help.
For over seven decades, UNRWA has offered aid, schooling and health care throughout the Palestinian territories and to Palestinian refugees elsewhere.
Israel will now ban the organization from communicating and coordinating with the Israeli authorities and ban UNRWA’s activities from inside Israel and occupied East Jerusalem.
– The most immediate effect is that it will be very difficult for UNRWA to continue its operations in East Jerusalem, where, among other things, the Shuafat refugee camp is located, says political scientist Rex Brynen, who is an expert on Palestinian refugees.
Big problems
The spokesperson for UNRWA in Jerusalem, Jonathan Fowler, believes, however, that the difficulties will spread immediately.
– The ban will mean the end of coordination with the Israeli authorities. It is simply a huge blow to our ability to continue the aid operation in Gaza, where we are the backbone of all aid work, emphasizes Fowler.
UNRWA has 13,000 employees in Gaza, but also manages the humanitarian efforts of other organizations. They are therefore dependent on regular contact with the Israeli authorities, especially in all matters relating to humanitarian aid.
Brynen says that the work on the occupied West Bank will also be much more difficult. There, UNRWA assists around 900,000 refugees and runs 43 clinics and almost 100 schools.
Retry
Brynen believes that the highly debated and criticized Israeli decision comes as a result of the Israeli anger in the wake of the terrorist attack on 7 October, where Israel has connected UNRWA employees to the action.
But Brynen says that the ban also reflects Israel’s repeated attempts over the years to weaken UNRWA, in order to try to marginalize the big issue of Palestinian refugees’ rights.
In Israel, many criticize UNRWA for promoting Palestinian refugees’ right to return. The Israeli politician Einat Wilf believes, among other things, that there is only a small proportion of the Palestinians whom UNRWA considers to be refugees, who actually are according to international laws. The UN rejects this.
What can replace UNRWA?
Some hope that UNRWA’s tasks can be taken over by other foreign organizations or other UN bodies. This is rejected by both UNRWA itself and other international aid organisations.
– UNRWA has existed for 75 years, and attempts to find a replacement have so far failed completely, says spokesperson Juliette Touma.
Secretary-General Jan Egeland of the Norwegian Refugee Council emphasizes that UNRWA is far larger than all other aid organizations in Gaza, including Unicef, the World Food Program and the Red Cross, combined.
– If we try to double our work, it will only be a small part of the activities UNRWA does today, he told NRK.
The Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, for its part, has major financial problems and will be completely unable to take over UNRWA’s operations.
#aid #organization #UNRWA #complete #limbo
**Interview with Political Scientist Rex Brynen on Israel’s Recent Ban on UNRWA Cooperation**
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Rex. The Knesset has just passed significant laws banning cooperation with UNRWA. Can you explain the implications of this decision for the organization and the Palestinian people it serves?
**Rex Brynen:** Thank you for having me. This ban will have profound implications, primarily because UNRWA has been a crucial provider of aid, education, and healthcare for Palestinians for over seven decades. The decision to prohibit UNRWA from operating in Israel and the occupied territories, particularly East Jerusalem, jeopardizes the assistance that countless Palestinians rely on. With the banning of coordination and communication, their operations are bound to become significantly hampered.
**Interviewer:** The Israeli government has cited concerns about Hamas infiltrating UNRWA. How valid are these concerns in terms of their impact on the organization’s work?
**Rex Brynen:** These concerns have been raised but remain largely unproven. The reality is that accusations like these can overshadow the essential humanitarian work UNRWA does. The organization’s primary mission is to assist those in need, regardless of the political climate. The decision to sever ties with them based on such allegations undermines their capability to operate effectively and brings additional strife to an already complex situation.
**Interviewer:** Jonathan Fowler of UNRWA has expressed that the ban could end their coordination with Israeli authorities. What does that mean for humanitarian efforts in Gaza and the West Bank?
**Rex Brynen:** It’s quite severe. UNRWA’s operations in Gaza are fundamentally reliant on collaboration with Israeli authorities for logistics related to aid delivery. This includes everything from ensuring safe passage for supplies to coordinating health services. Without this cooperation, UNRWA’s ability to function as the backbone of humanitarian efforts in Gaza will be greatly diminished. Likewise, in the West Bank, the impact will be similarly felt, especially in densely populated areas like the Shuafat refugee camp.
**Interviewer:** With this decision, what can you foresee as the immediate challenges for Palestinians who depend on UNRWA services?
**Rex Brynen:** The immediate challenges will include a reduction in access to essential services—especially in education and healthcare. For the families reliant on UNRWA’s support, this means a loss of access to critical supplies, educational programs, and medical care just as they face an already bleak situation. In the long term, this could escalate humanitarian crises, lead to increased unemployment, and worsen the living conditions of so many Palestinians.
**Interviewer:** As a final thought, what message does this send to the international community regarding the humanitarian situation in Palestine?
**Rex Brynen:** This is a stark signal that the humanitarian needs of Palestinians are being deprioritized in favor of political agendas. The international community must take notice, advocate for the continuation of humanitarian assistance, and find ways to ensure that essential services can continue unaffected by political disputes. It is critical that we prioritize human rights and the well-being of individuals over convoluted geopolitical concerns.
**Interviewer:** Thank you, Rex, for your insightful analysis on this pressing issue.
**Rex Brynen:** Thank you for having me.
