Qatar and Saudi Arabia on Sunday condemned an Israeli parliamentary bill aimed at labeling UNRWA, the main provider of aid to Palestinians in Gaza, a terrorist group, joining a growing number of countries opposed to the proposal.
The bill, which passed in a preliminary vote in parliament last week, is the product of increasingly tense relations between Israel and the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees. Israel has accused the agency of militant ties, saying hundreds of its employees are members of militant groups, some of whom are believed to have participated in the October 7 attacks in southern Israel.
The allegations led to the freezing of funding from many of the agency’s donors, at a time when Gaza is crumbling under a humanitarian crisis triggered by the war. UNRWA says it took swift action against those accused and an independent review of the agency’s neutrality found that Israel had not previously raised concerns about the workers and had failed to provide evidence supporting his claims.
The bill currently going through Parliament seeks to label the agency a “terrorist group,” saying the employees’ alleged involvement in the Hamas attack shows “this is a terrorist organization.” which is no different from the Hamas terrorist organization.” The bill also aims to sever diplomatic relations between Israel and the agency.
The bill passed 42-6 and must go through committees and three more votes before becoming law.
Juliette Touma, UNRWA’s communications director, said the bill was part of Israel’s “systematic campaign” to dismantle the US agency. She said it was too early to predict how the bill might affect the agency, but said it was “very dangerous and risky to the lives of our staff.”
UNRWA conducts operations in East Jerusalem, the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza and must pass through Israeli crossings to deliver aid and supplies to Gaza.
In response to the bill, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said the attempt to label UNRWA a terrorist organization is “an extension of the systematic campaign to dismantle the agency at a time when the need for its humanitarian services are urgent due to the ongoing war in the country. Gaza strip.”
Saudi Arabia also condemned the decision, saying UNRWA employees are “doing their duty to alleviate the severity of the humanitarian catastrophe facing the Palestinian people.”
“The kingdom emphasizes that Israel, as the occupying state, must respect international law and international humanitarian law and stop obstructing the work of international organizations,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry said.
The European Union, which with its member states is the largest donor to UNRWA, also condemned the decision on Friday. He highlighted the “crucial and irreplaceable” role of UNRWA in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. EU member Belgium has issued its own condemnations.
UNRWA employs thousands of people and provides vital aid and services to millions of people across the Middle East. In Gaza, it was the main provider of food, water and shelter to civilians during the war between Israel and Hamas.
Israel has long attacked the agency, accusing it of tolerating, even collaborating with Hamas, and perpetuating the 76-year-old Palestinian refugee crisis. UNRWA denies the accusations, saying it adheres to UN standards of neutrality. The Israeli government has accused Hamas and other militant groups of siphoning off aid and using U.N. facilities for military purposes.
NBC Chicago
