UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has written to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, expressing serious concerns about a new law that prohibits the United Nations Near East Refugee Agency (UNRWA) from operating in Israel. . The message was sent on October 29, a day after the Knesset passed a law restricting the agency’s work.
Guterres noted in the letter:
“These laws could prevent the agency from carrying out an important mission in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the West Bank (Judea and Samaria), East Jerusalem and Gaza and also have devastating consequences for Palestinian refugees, as there is currently no viable alternative.” . that could provide the necessary services and assistance”
In the letter, Guterres stressed that Israel, in accordance with international law, is obliged to allow the agency to continue its work in the specified territories, including East Jerusalem. He recalled that, according to UN decisions, “the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and Gaza are considered part of the occupied Palestinian territory over which Israel has no right of sovereignty or exercise of sovereign powers.”
Reaction to the new law also came from Washington. US representatives expressed concern about the possible consequences for US policy towards Israel. The US State Department highlighted the importance of UNRWA’s work in the Gaza Strip and stressed that it had conveyed its position to Israeli authorities.
Let us remember that the law adopted on October 28 prohibits the UNRWA agency from having representative offices and providing services in Israel. This means that the agency’s work in East Jerusalem must be ended and its functions transferred to local authorities. The bill was approved by the Knesset by an overwhelming majority: 92 votes in favor and 10 against.
Kursor also reported that Geert Wilders responded to the UNRWA law.
