On October 28, Israel's Knesset (Unicameral parliament of Israel and supreme authority of the state) passed two significant bills aimed at prohibiting the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) within the country. This legislative move has drawn immediate and widespread international condemnation.

UNRWA employs approximately 30,000 staff across the region, including in Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank. The Knesset's decision to ban the organization has raised questions about the potential impacts of these bills.

Yuli Edelstein, a member of the Knesset and chairman of the parliament's foreign affairs and defense committee, who sponsored the bills, called their approval "historic" and crucial for national security. He criticized UNRWA, stating, "UNRWA has long ceased being a humanitarian aid agency. Beyond being an integral part of encouraging terrorism and hatred, it is an agency for perpetuating poverty and suffering. The logic is simple -- in order to survive, UNRWA itself creates a demand for the product it provides."

UNRWA, established in 1949 to assist Palestinian refugees displaced by the 1948 Arab-Israeli war, has faced long-standing criticism from Israel for allegedly prolonging the Palestinian conflict. The scrutiny has intensified in light of the ongoing war with Hamas, especially following accusations that some UNRWA employees were involved in the deadly attacks that claimed 1,200 Israeli lives. In response, UNRWA dismissed nine employees linked to the incident.

In reaction to the Knesset's decisions, UNRWA condemned the votes as "unprecedented" and warned of the severe repercussions for Palestinians, particularly in Gaza, where residents have endured extreme hardships. Philippe Lazzarini, UNRWA's commissioner-general, stated that these actions contradict the U.N. Charter and violate international law obligations. He emphasized that the bills would deny over 650,000 Palestinian children access to education, describing them as acts of collective punishment.

The U.S. government has expressed serious concerns regarding the legislation. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller noted that the bills' passage "could have implications under U.S. law and U.S. policy." He highlighted UNRWA's vital role in providing humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and asserted that the agency is irreplaceable during this crisis.

In the wake of the Knesset's vote, numerous countries, including members of the European Union, Norway, Spain, Australia, and the United Kingdom, issued statements rejecting the decision and urged Israel to reconsider the legislation.

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