UNRWA schützen

Dringender globaler Appell: UNRWA vor israelischem Verbot schützen und katastrophale Folgen für die Palästinenser verhindern

We call on world leaders to act urgently to protect UNRWA from the unprecedented
and dangerous attacks it faces from the Israeli Government. The Knesset’s Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee passed two bills on 6 October 2024 aimed at ceasing
UNRWA’s operations. These bills await final readings in the Knesset Plenum as soon as
28 October 2024. This could see UNRWA evicted from premises it has held for over 70
years and have its immunities revoked, severely blocking its ability to provide essential
services such as healthcare and education to millions of Palestine refugees. This
reckless move threatens to dismantle the backbone of the international humanitarian
operation in Gaza, aggravating an already catastrophic crisis.

These bills seek to ban UNRWA from operating in areas under Israeli control, which
would lead to the closure of its offices in the occupied Palestinian territory (OPT). The
proposed legislation would also terminate the agreement between Israel and UNRWA
from 1967 in which Israel committed to facilitating UNRWA’s work. This will effectively
paralyse the agency’s ability to fulfil its mandate as set out by the UN General
Assembly in 1949.

Dismantling UNRWA would be catastrophic for Palestinians especially in Gaza and the
West Bank as they are deprived of essentials such as food, water, medical aid,
education and protection. It will also have catastrophic consequences for millions of
Palestinian refugees in Lebanon, Jordan, and Syria where essential humanitarian aid is
crucial for both the refugees and the host communities.

These actions are part of the wider strategy of the Government of Israel to delegitimise
UNRWA, discredit its support for Palestine refugees, and undermine the international
legal framework protecting their rights, including the right of return. If passed, these
laws will severely impact not only UNRWA’s operations but also the rights of
Palestinian refugees.

If these proposed laws proceed, they will have devastating operational and legal
impacts on UNRWA’s ability to provide services in the occupied Palestinian territory,
including in Gaza. These laws will not only harm the refugees who rely on UNRWA but
also jeopardise the agency’s personnel many of whom have been killed by Israeli
attacks, and the ability of other UN and humanitarian agencies to operate. Contrary to
claims of concern over UNRWA’s neutrality, the real intent appears to be, in part, to
undermine its efforts to uphold the status of Palestine refugees and obstruct a future
political resolution.

The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ordered Israel to take all measures within its
power to prevent the commission of all acts within the scope of Article II of the
Genocide Convention. By blocking UNRWA’s operations, Israel is disregarding the ICJ
provisional measure to ensure the delivery of life-saving aid into Gaza. The ICJ stated in
March 2024 that: “In conformity with its obligations under the Genocide Convention,
and in view of the worsening conditions of life faced by Palestinians in Gaza, in
particular the spread of famine and starvation, Israel shall: (a) take all necessary and
effective measures to ensure, without delay, in full co-operation with the United
Nations, the unhindered provision at scale by all concerned of urgently needed basic
services and humanitarian assistance”. According to human rights groups, halting
UNRWA’s services is part and parcel of the Israeli authorities‘ unlawful siege of the
Gaza Strip, which amounts to the war crimes of collective punishment and the use of
starvation as a weapon of war.

There is no viable alternative to UNRWA. UNRWA’s essential and irreplaceable role in
supporting Palestine refugees cannot be overstated. With a mandate from the UN
General Assembly since 1949, UNRWA provides crucial services such as education,
healthcare, and social support to millions of refugees. The idea of dismantling or
undermining this agency is not only an affront to the values of multilateralism, but it
also sets a dangerous precedent with global implications. Unilaterally tearing up
UNRWA’s mandate would challenge the integrity of the international system,
undermining the trust that underpins cooperative global governance.

We demand that world leaders use all diplomatic means to prevent this legislation
from advancing. They must stand against Israel’s illegal actions and uphold the
principles of the UN General Assembly Resolution on the ICJ Advisory Opinion (ICJ AO).

This is not a time for silence—it is a call to action. The global community must
intervene now before more Palestinians are killed. The people of Gaza cannot endure
further delays. Immediate, decisive action is needed to safeguard their rights, uphold
their dignity, and enforce the recent International Court of Justice advisory opinion,
which ruled Israel’s presence in the occupied Palestinian territory as unlawful. The
future of millions of Palestinians is at stake, and the world must act without hesitation.