Israel could get expelled from UN if it bans UNRWA, officials warn

Israeli Foreign Ministry officials have issued warnings that a Knesset bill proposing a ban on the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and a severance of ties with it constitutes a violation of the UN Charter, potentially resulting in Israel’s expulsion from the United Nations, Russia Today reported.

The Ynet News site also reported on Sunday that US Ambassador to Israel Jacob Lew, along with other American diplomats, contacted opposition members Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid Party, Avigdor Lieberman, head of the Yisrael Beiteinu Party, and Benny Gantz, leader of the National Unity Party, urging them to delay the bill’s progression at least until after the US presidential election.

Lapid reportedly informed the US administration of his support for the bill, claiming in a statement: “UNRWA is a disaster, and it’s time to shut it down.” Ynet reported that Lieberman and Gantz rejected the US request, while Knesset coalition members are pressuring Likud MK Boaz Bismuth to postpone submitting the UNRWA-related bill he introduced.

The Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee approved the UNRWA bill earlier this month. The proposed legislation would bar any government representative from engaging with UNRWA, block Israel’s Interior Ministry from issuing entry visas to UNRWA staff, prevent customs officials from processing UNRWA imports into Gaza or the West Bank, and revoke the tax exemptions currently afforded to the agency.

Foreign Ministry officials cautioned that the law could backfire against Israel, saying that the bill harms Tel Aviv more than it does UNRWA.

Israel has long lobbied to have UNRWA closed as it is the only UN agency to have a specific mandate to look after the basic needs of Palestinian refugees. If the agency no longer exists, argues Israel, then the refugee issue must no longer exist, and the legitimate right for Palestinian refugees to return to their land will be unnecessary. Israel has denied that right of return since the late 1940s, even though its own membership of the UN was made conditional upon Palestinian refugees being allowed to return to their homes and land.

READ: What’s behind Israel’s war against UNRWA?