The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, took a significant step on Wednesday by approving a preliminary reading of legislation that would designate the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) as a “terror organisation.” This move, if fully enacted, would allow Israel to sever ties with the UN agency.
The bill, which passed by a vote of 42-6, authorises the Foreign Ministry to make the final determination on the terror designation. If implemented, UNRWA would lose its diplomatic immunity, tax-exempt status, and other legal benefits.
The decision comes after months of controversy surrounding UNRWA, with Israeli officials accusing the agency of supporting terrorist organizations. Israeli forces discovered a Hamas complex located directly under UNRWA’s Gaza City headquarters, with weapons found in UNRWA facilities on multiple occasions.
MK Avigdor Liberman, head of the right-wing opposition Israel Beiteinu party, condemned UNRWA’s alleged involvement in terrorist activities, stating that the agency does not assist refugees but instead aids terrorist organizations in Gaza.
Israel’s largest bank froze UNRWA’s account in February due to suspicious financial transfers that the agency could not explain adequately. Additionally, reports from IMPACT-SE and UN Watch documented UNRWA employees expressing support for terrorist attacks on social media.
The bill’s passage marks a significant escalation in Israel’s efforts to distance itself from UNRWA and hold the agency accountable for its alleged ties to terrorism. Israeli officials have called for UNRWA to be closed and for Palestinian refugees to be brought under the responsibility of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.