UNITED NATIONS: Israeli bills banning activities of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) cause co...
UNITED NATIONS: Israeli bills banning activities of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) cause concerns and perplexity, since if passed, they would compromise aid deliveries not only to people in the Gaza Strip but also to refugees in neighboring countries, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vasily Nebenzya said.
"Of special concern and perplexity are two bills - on banning activities in Israel and on stripping employees of their immunity - that are being by the Knesset’s (Israeli parliament - TASS) foreign security policy commission," he said at a UN Security Council meeting on the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip. "In case these bills are passed into laws, further activities in Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as prospects for delivering aid to Palestinian refugees in neighboring Arab countries will be jeopardized."
The Russian diplomat stressed that such a move would constitute a violation of the UN Charter and "will have the most negative consequences both for the Middle East and the entire UN system."
"As a matter of fact, Israel claims to have the right to impose arbitrary bans on the activities of UN specialized agencies. Colleagues, we cannot allow this to happen," he stressed.
Earlier in October, the Knesset foreign affairs and security commission approved the bill banning UNRWA in the country. The bill bans Israeli officials from meeting with UNRWA employees, issuing visas to them or granting economic privileges. Apart from that, Israel’s authorities plan to initiate criminal cases against UNRWA employees suspected of being involved in terrorist activities.
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