Israel’s parliament voted to ban the operations of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu accused UNRWA employees of terrorist activities, despite a U.N. investigation showing only nine employees may have been involved in one incident. The Biden administration warned Israel that military aid may be restricted if humanitarian assistance in Gaza is not increased. UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini condemned the ban, calling it collective punishment. Foreign ministers from various countries also expressed grave concern over the ban. Israeli parliament members, on the other hand, believe that UNRWA’s work has been counterproductive in the region. Netanyahu has also accused the U.N. of being antisemitic and declared the U.N. Secretary-General persona non grata. IDF forces have been accused of attacking U.N. peacekeepers in Lebanon, although Netanyahu denies the charges. The ban on UNRWA’s operations comes as part of a longstanding feud against the agency in Israel. The international community has expressed concerns and condemned the ban, emphasizing the importance of humanitarian aid in the region.
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