Israel will cease all contact with the UN's Palestinian relief agency UNRWA and any other body acting on its behalf, its UN envoy said Tuesday, after repeatedly accusing the organization of undermining its security.
UNRWA's offices and staff in Israel play a major role in the provision of healthcare and education to Palestinians, but Israeli officials have long clashed with the agency.
UNRWA claims to have brought in 60 percent of the food to have reached Gaza since the start of the war that followed the October 7th.
"The legislation forbids UNRWA from operating within the sovereign territory of the State of Israel, and forbids any contact between Israeli officials and UNWRA," said the envoy, Danny Danon.
He was speaking ahead of a UN Security Council meeting on Israel's passage of legislation ending the organization's legal footing in Israel within 48 hours.
"Israel will terminate all collaboration, communication and contact with UNRWA or anyone acting on its behalf," he said.
Israel claims that a dozen UNRWA employees were involved in the deadly October 7, 2023 assault, and insists that other organizations can pick up the slack to provide essential services, aid and reconstruction -- something the UN disputes.
A series of probes, including one led by France's former foreign minister Catherine Colonna, found some "neutrality related issues" at UNRWA -- but stressed Israel had not provided evidence for its chief allegations.
'Jeopardizing' peace, security
The agency's chief Philippe Lazzarini said UNRWA's "capacity to directly provide primary healthcare for millions of Palestinians, and to resume education for hundreds of thousands of children, far exceeds that of any other entity."
He called Israel's actions against UNRWA a "relentless assault" that is "harming the lives and future of Palestinians across the occupied Palestinian territory."
"It is eroding their trust in the international community, jeopardizing any prospect for peace and security," he said.
But the United States threw its weight behind the move of its closest Middle East ally, accusing Lazzarini of overstating the impact of the decision.
"The United States supports the implementation of this decision," said Dorothy Shea, a United States representative to the UN.
"UNRWA exaggerating the effects of the laws and suggesting that they will force (out) the entire humanitarian response is irresponsible and dangerous," she said.
"What is needed is a nuanced discussion about how we can ensure that there's no interruption in the delivery of humanitarian aid and essential services. UNRWA is not and never has been the only option."
"We are determined, however, to stay and deliver until it is no longer possible to do so," said Lazzarini.
With AFP
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