UN Security Council criticizes Israeli move to ban UNRWA in Palestinian territories

​​​​​​​By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - The UN Security Council on Tuesday expressed concerns about the passing of a law by the Israeli Knesset (parliament) to ban the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

"We are meeting here as well to reaffirm the key role of the United Nations for peace, stability and humanitarian aid in the region," Swedish Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis said at a Security Council session on Palestine.

Stressing the importance of allowing UN agencies to carry out their work, Cassis said: "The UN Secretary-General (Antonio Guterres) must be able to speak without hindrance with all parties. Any unilateral attempt to weaken his mandate will only weaken multilateralism as a whole."

Noting unimplemented Council resolutions, Cassis said: "Words are no longer enough."

"It is time to find a way out of this conflict," he stressed, noting that Israel's decision to ban UNRWA is "incompatible with international law" but also "threatens humanitarian assistance to the civilian population."

He urged Israel "to fulfil its obligations under international law, including the UN Charter and international humanitarian law."

UK's envoy Barbara Woodward also denounced Israel’s decision and stressed that "there is no justification for cutting off ties with UNRWA."

Russia's representative Vassily Nebenzia echoed Council members regarding the decision to ban UNRWA and said it is against Israel's obligations as the occupying power.

On Monday, the Israeli Knesset passed a law banning UNRWA from operating, which would eventually affect its work in the Gaza Strip, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem.

The vote saw 92 out of 120 Knesset members in favor of the ban, with 10 opposed.

A separate bill from Knesset members Ron Katz, Yulia Malinovsky and Dan Illouz, which was approved by lawmakers in a 87-9 vote, mandates that Israel cut all ties with UNRWA, barring any cooperation or privileges the agency previously held.

The legislation will take effect in 90 days.

Israel has accused UNRWA employees of complicity in last year’s Hamas attack, alleging that the agency’s educational programs "promote terrorism and hatred."

UNRWA was established by a UN General Assembly resolution in 1949, with a mandate to provide assistance and protection to Palestinian refugees.

The Israeli army has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023, despite a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire.

Over 43,000 people have since been killed, mostly women and children, and more than 101,100 others injured, according to local health authorities.

The Israeli onslaught has displaced almost the entire population of the territory amid an ongoing blockade that has led to severe shortages of food, clean water and medicine.

Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in Gaza.