UNRWA ban: UN Secretary-General warns of ‘devastating consequences’
The Secretary General of the UN, Antonio Guterres, sent a letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday to request the maintenance of the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), prohibited by law in Israel.
“The law as we understand it gives ninety days before it comes into force. “We are in contact with the Israeli authorities.”declared its spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, hoping that the law approved on Monday by the Israeli Parliament, which prohibits the agency in Israel, will not be “not applied”.
In the letter, seen by Agence France-Presse, Antonio Guterres repeats that, if the law is applied, it will have “devastating consequences” on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, given that“There is currently no realistic alternative to UNRWA that can adequately provide the necessary services and assistance”.
Antonio Guterres recalls, in his letter, that according to international law “an occupying power” We must put in place mechanisms aimed at helping the population of the occupied territories. From “Ceasing UNRWA activities would leave Palestinian refugees without the essential assistance they need”Israel, “As an occupying power, it continues to have to ensure that the needs of the population are met”insists the general secretary.
“Israel cannot invoke the provisions of its national law”including the law passed to ban the organization, “as justification for failure to fulfill its obligations under international law”writes Guterres, who undertakes to inform the UN General Assembly so that it can take “appropriate actions”evoking in particular a possible appeal to the International Court of Justice.
