Legislation is winding its way through the Israeli Knesset that would declare UNRWA, the UN agency that provides relief and services for Palestinian refugees, a “terrorist organization.” This was condemned yesterday Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and by the EU on May 31, reported AP. The bill claims that the employees’ alleged involvement in the Hamas assault shows that “it is a terror organization that is no different from the Hamas terror organization.” The bill also seeks to cut diplomatic ties between Israel and the agency. The bill passed the initial vote 42-6 and must go through committees and three other votes before becoming law.
Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s director of communications, said the bill was part of Israel’s ongoing “systematic campaign” to dismantle the U.N. agency and one that is putting the lives of its staff at risk.
In response to the bill, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the attempt to brand UNRWA a terrorist organization is “an extension of the systematic campaign aimed at dismantling the agency at a time when the need for its humanitarian services is dire due to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.”
