Key Takeaways
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the immediate implementation of a law banning UNRWA activities in Israel and the territories it controls.
- The ban is in response to allegations of UNRWA staff involvement in the October 2023 Hamas attack.
- The implications of the UNRWA ban are significant, with potential effects on Palestinian refugees in the Middle East who rely on UNRWA for humanitarian aid and services.
Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered immediate implementation of a law banning the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), the prime minister’s office said.
“Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has directed that the UNRWA law, which was passed by the Knesset with broad support, be enforced immediately. There are no restrictions on the implementation of the Prime Minister’s directive,” the office said on X on Monday.
In late October, the Israeli parliament passed bills aimed at banning UNRWA activities in Israel and the territories it controls after accusing some UNRWA staff of involvement in the October 2023 Hamas attack. The UN says Israel has not provided any evidence to substantiate its allegations. On January 29, Israeli government spokesman David Mentzer said that UNRWA offices were to be closed within 48 hours and that all contacts with the UN aid agency would be suspended.
On January 30, the law banning UNRWA activities came into force.
