UN Human Rights office says Israeli law restricting UNRWA should be repealed

The UN Human Rights office, on Thursday, called for repealing an Israeli law that imposed a ban on the UN Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), saying that the ban would “drastically undermine” humanitarian assistance, Anadolu Agency reports.

“Without UNRWA, food delivery, healthcare, education and other services would be drastically undermined in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, with direct and dire impacts on the human rights of tens of thousands of Palestinians,” the office said on X.

“Israel’s law restricting UNRWA’s essential work should be repealed,” it said.

The Israeli government formally implemented its ban on UNRWA’s activities in Occupied East Jerusalem, forcing the Agency to vacate its facilities in the city.

International staff left East Jerusalem after their Israeli visas expired, while local employees did not report to their offices.

READ: Israel enforces ban on UNRWA operations in East Jerusalem

Israel had ordered UNRWA to shut down all its operations in East Jerusalem by Thursday, in line with a directive communicated in a letter from Israel’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Danny Danon, to UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, on 24 January.

Following the order, UNRWA evacuated its headquarters in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, where it had operated since 1951, as well as a clinic in the Old City and multiple schools, including a vocational training centre.

The move came amid growing tensions between Israel and international organisations, as multiple UN bodies continue to raise concerns over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Gaza and the West Bank.

UNRWA, established in 1949, provides health, education and social services to Palestinian refugees in the Occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem, Lebanon, Jordan and Gaza.

Israel has repeatedly equated UNRWA staff with Hamas members in efforts to discredit them, providing no proof of the claims, while lobbying hard 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: OIC warns of repercussions of Israel’s UNRWA ban