The Israeli Parliament on Monday banned the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and occupied East Jerusalem, despite objections from the international community.

Lawmakers passed the bill with 92 votes in favor and 10 against, after years of harsh Israeli criticism of UNRWA, which has only intensified since the start of the Gaza war. following the deadly Hamas attacks on October 7 last year.

The ban on the UN agency – which has provided essential aid and assistance in the Palestinian territories and to Palestinian refugees elsewhere for more than seven decades – would be a major blow to humanitarian work in Gaza if enforced, according to experts.

UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini condemned the move, saying it set “a dangerous precedent”.

“This is the latest in the ongoing campaign to discredit UNRWA… These bills will only worsen the suffering of Palestinians,” he wrote on X.

The move also drew condemnation and criticism from the governments of the United States, Britain and Germany, among others.

Before the vote, the United States said it was “deeply concerned” about the bill, reiterating the “critical” role the agency plays in distributing humanitarian aid in the Gaza Strip.

Washington warned Israel on October 15 that it had 30 days to increase the amount of aid intended for the Gaza Strip, failing which it would consider suspending part of its military assistance to its main ally.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain was “gravely concerned” because the legislation would make “UNRWA’s essential work on behalf of the Palestinians impossible, putting at risk the entire international humanitarian response in Gaza and the provision of essential health and education services in the West Bank.

“No place for Jewish enemies”

In January, Israel accused a dozen UNRWA employees in Gaza of being involved in the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, which sparked the territory’s deadliest war.

A series of investigations revealed “neutrality-related issues” at UNRWA and determined that nine employees “may have been involved” in the October 7 attack, but found no evidence to support the allegations power plants of Israel.

“There is a deep connection between the terrorist organization (Hamas) and UNRWA, and Israel cannot stand it,” said Yuli Edelstein, a lawmaker from Netanyahu’s ruling Likud party and one of the sponsors of the draft. law, in Parliament when it is presented. the proposal.

“There is no place for enemies in the heart of the capital of the Jewish people. »

Israel claims all of Jerusalem, including the annexed East, as its indivisible capital.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that “UNRWA workers involved in terrorist activities against Israel must be held accountable,” but added that “sustained humanitarian assistance must remain available in Gaza.”

“We stand ready to work with our international partners to ensure that Israel continues to facilitate humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not threaten Israel’s security,” he said on X.

The Islamist group Hamas reacted furiously to the ban.

“We consider this a part of the Zionist war and aggression against our people,” Hamas said in a statement.

The Palestinian presidency condemned the decision and said it confirmed “the transformation of Israel into a fascist state.”

The German government “strongly” criticized the bill while the governments of Ireland, Norway, Spain and Slovenia – all of which have recognized a Palestinian state – issued a joint statement condemning the move.

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said UNRWA was “an irreplaceable lifeline for the Palestinian people” and warned of “devastating consequences” of implementing the bill.

“This is intolerable. This contravenes Israel’s obligations and responsibilities and threatens the lives and health of all those dependent on UNRWA,” he wrote on X.

No operations in Israel

The ban, which takes effect in 90 days, would effectively prevent UNRWA from operating in Israel and also target its operations in East Jerusalem, where it currently provides some essential services such as cleaning, education and healthcare health in certain neighborhoods.

There are also fears that UNRWA employees in the West Bank may face difficulties in moving from one location to another as well as in accessing East Jerusalem or Israel, as they would lose their ability to coordinate with Israeli authorities to pass through checkpoints.

The same fears apply to visas and permits issued by Israeli authorities.

UNRWA and other humanitarian agencies have accused Israeli authorities of restricting aid flows to Gaza, where almost all of the territory’s 2.4 million residents have been displaced at least once during the war.

The agency itself has suffered heavy losses, with at least 223 of its staff killed and two-thirds of its facilities in Gaza damaged or destroyed since the start of the war.

The war in Gaza broke out with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which left 1,206 dead, most of them civilians, according to an AFP count based on official Israeli figures.

Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 43,020 people in Gaza, the majority civilians, according to the Hamas-controlled territory’s Health Ministry, figures the UN considers reliable.

UNRWA was established in 1949 to support Palestinian refugees in the Middle East.