Fergal Keane
Special correspondent, BBC News

A top ally of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the BBC that the Jerusalem government would not back down on the plan. decision to expel main UN agency dealing with Palestinian refugees.

Boaz Bismuth was one of the sponsors of the bill in the Israeli parliament that bans UNRWA from operating on Israeli territory and prohibits Israeli officials from having any contact with the agency.

When I asked Bismuth if Israel would bow to international pressure to withdraw the bill, he replied: “Of course not, of course not, because we believe in our bill and because it is a fair and just bill.”

The United States, the European Union and the British government condemned the decision. A US State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said UNRWA is “currently playing an irreplaceable role in Gaza, where it is on the front lines of providing humanitarian assistance to people in need.”

“No one can replace them right now, in the middle of a crisis.”

UNRWA said the laws – which are due to come into force within three months – will lead to the “collapse” of Gaza’s aid supply chain.

Israel has accused UNRWA of being infiltrated by Hamas and some of its members of having participated in the October 7 attacks against Israel.

Bismuth said Israel would improve services for Palestinian refugees once Unrwa was withdrawn.

“You don’t need terrorism to control Gaza,” he said. “You don’t need terrorism to control humanitarian aid either. It’s time, if you really want stability, if you really want security, if you really want peace in the Middle East. First, let’s get rid of the bad guys.