Israel cuts ties with UN agency, creating new hurdles for Palestinian aid
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. TEL AVIV—Israel’s parliament passed legislation to sever ties with the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, curtailing its ability to work in Gaza and the West Bank at a time when it is leading the humanitarian response to the war in Gaza. The laws passed late Monday effectively ban Unrwa—known formally as the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East—from operating in Israeli territory and forbid Israeli state authorities from having contact with it.
The provisions would cut off access to Israeli entrance permits into Gaza and the West Bank, as well as coordination with the Israeli military, which Unrwa relies upon to ferry staff and aid around Gaza. Israel currently manages all points of entry into Gaza after it took control of the Gaza-side of the enclave’s crossing with Egypt in May. The practical impact on aid delivery is likely to be shaped by a number of factors.
It isn’t yet clear how the restrictions will be enforced and some of Unwra’s activities could be carried out in coordination with other U.N. agencies. There is also a 90-day transition period before the restrictions take effect.
Israel has tried for several months to shift responsibility for humanitarian services in Gaza to several other U.N. aid agencies and independent groups operating in the enclave. But Unrwa—which had the largest Gaza-based staff ahead of the war—is broadly seen as the backbone of the humanitarian response in the strip.
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