Nordic countries ‘deeply concerned’ over Israeli bill seeking to ban UN agency for Palestinian refugees

By Leila Nezirevic

LONDON (AA) – The Nordic countries on Wednesday expressed "deep concern" over the recent introduction of draft legal bills in Israel's parliament, fearing that if passed, Tel Aviv would prevent the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from continuing its operations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza.

The Nordic countries urged Israel to ensure that UNRWA has continued and unhindered humanitarian access to Palestinian refugees.

“In the midst of an ongoing catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza, a halt to any of the organisation’s activities would have devastating consequences for the hundreds of thousands of civilians served by UNRWA,” Nordic foreign ministers said in a joint statement.

Preventing UNRWA from continuing its operations would destabilize the situation in the region, they said, fearing that approval by the Israeli parliament or Knesset could fundamentally "jeopardize the prospects for a two-state solution."

Foreign ministers from Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Iceland have further stated that the proposed draft legal bills that restrict UNRWA’s continued operations may entail “the violation of Israel’s obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and the legally binding provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice.”

Since 1949, UNRWA has been responsible for delivering humanitarian aid to Palestinians in occupied territories as well as providing services for Palestinian refugees in other countries.

However, Israel has on numerous occasions accused the agency of having ties to what it called terrorist groups and has lobbied against it.

UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini accused Tel Aviv earlier this year of having a "long-term political goal" of destroying the UN aid agency, as well as the belief that Palestinians are refugees with the right to return home one day, the Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger reported.

“At the moment, we are dealing with an expanded, concentrated Israeli campaign, which is aimed at destroying UNRWA,” said Lazzarini.

Since Israel launched war on Gaza on Oct. 7 more than 42,700 Palestinians have since been killed in Gaza, most of them women and children, and over 100,000 others injured, according to local health authorities.

Nearly 200 UNRWA staff members have also been killed, according to Norwegian authorities.

More than a year into the Israeli war, vast tracts of Gaza lay in ruins amid a crippling blockade of food, clean water, and medicine.

Israel stands accused of genocide against Palestinians at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).