10/30/2024–|Last updated: 10/30/202404:25 AM (Mecca time)
The Palestinian presidency announced yesterday, Tuesday, its intention to move politically to discuss the possibility of holding a session of the UN Security Council, against the backdrop of the Israeli Knesset’s approval of legislation prohibiting the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the occupied territories.
This comes as voices condemning the Israeli decision continued, as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Pakistan condemned the decision to ban the agency’s activities.
The official Palestinian News Agency (WAFA) reported that “the Palestinian presidency decided to move urgently and immediately, with the countries hosting Palestinian refugees, in order to discuss the possibility of going to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, including international organizations and the Human Rights Council, considering the UNRWA issue.” A political issue related to the right of return.”
According to the agency, the Presidency appreciated “the positions of the group of countries that expressed their concern over the repercussions of this dangerous and unacceptable Israeli trend, which defies international will, and its call on the Israeli government to comply with its international obligations, preserve UNRWA’s privileges and immunities without prejudice, and fulfill its responsibilities.”
It called on those countries to “take serious decisions to stop the Israeli tampering that will lead to more tension and instability,” holding the Israeli government “fully responsible for the serious repercussions of this decision.”
Wave of denunciation
The wave of widespread condemnation of the decision to ban UNRWA continued, as Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Pakistan condemned the decision, warning of its “catastrophic” repercussions.
Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al-Ansari said – during a press conference on Tuesday – “We in Qatar emphasize the important role played by UNRWA in helping millions not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon.”
He added, “We stress that stopping support for UNRWA will have catastrophic repercussions. The international community cannot remain silent in the face of this disregard for its international institutions.”
In turn, Saudi Arabia denounced “in the strongest terms” the decision, considering it “a blatant violation of international law and a direct violation of international legitimacy in light of the unprecedented humanitarian catastrophe” facing the Palestinians.
The UAE also condemned the Israeli decision, considering that it “contradicts the provisions of the United Nations Charter and international norms and will exacerbate the critical and deteriorating humanitarian situation” that the Palestinians are suffering from.
Pakistan, for its part, condemned the Knesset’s approval of the bill banning the agency, and said, “With this step, Israel has once again violated international law and the United Nations Charter, and obstructing UNRWA’s vital missions is a manifestation of the systematic Israeli campaign to deprive the Palestinian people of aid.”
Double standards
On the other hand, the Deputy Director of UNRWA Affairs in Gaza told the American newspaper Politico, “Everyone’s attention is focused on what is happening in Gaza, but this does not make a difference, and what is surprising is that no one can do anything.”
He added that there is a feeling of double standards among Palestinians, “If what happened to another people and not to the Palestinians, the public reaction would have been completely different.”
He also emphasized that the agency’s employees felt very upset and angry at the way their colleagues were portrayed in the media as terrorists without providing any evidence.”
He added, “Our employees do not want to wear a jacket bearing the United Nations logo because they fear that this will make them a target. Our employees feel wronged by the United Nations for its inability to protect them.”
It is noteworthy that the Israeli Knesset had approved the day before Monday a draft law prohibiting UNRWA from working in the occupied Palestinian territories, despite the objection of America and the United Nations.
Israeli representatives approved the project by a majority of 92 votes against 10 opposing votes, after years of sharp Israeli criticism of the agency, which has increased since the start of the war in Gaza in the wake of the Al-Aqsa flood on October 7, 2023.
