UK, France and Germany Warn Israel Over UNRWA Ban

Britain, France, and Germany have urged Israel to reverse its ban on contact with UNRWA, warning that no other entity can replace its mandate.

Britain, France and Germany have reiterated their “grave concern” over Israel’s implementation of legislation forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities, officials and the UN Relief Agency for Palestine Refugees UNRWA.

“We urge the government of Israel to work with international partners, including the UN, to ensure continuity of operations,” a joint statement issued on Friday by the UK on behalf of the three governments, stated.

“No other entity or UN Agency currently has the capacity or infrastructure to replace UNRWA’s mandate and experience,” the statement added.

The legislation, adopted by the Knesset in October, and which came into effect on Thursday prohibits UNRWA activity on what Israel’s Supreme Court calls “the sovereign territory of the state of Israel. That does not include Gaza and the West Bank but does apply to occupied East Jerusalem, the Anadolu news agency reported.

The Israeli law also bans contact between UNRWA staff and Israeli authorities.

‘International Obligations’

“We ask the Government of Israel to abide by its international obligations and live up to its responsibility to ensure full, rapid, safe and unhindered humanitarian assistance and the provision of basic services to the civilian population,” the statement noted.

The three governments reiterated their support “for UNRWA’s UN-mandate” to provide essential services and humanitarian assistance to Palestine refugees in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

“UNRWA is the primary service provider to Palestinian refugees in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and is an integral part of the response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza,” the statement noted.

The governments pledged to “play our full part in the coming days and weeks to seize the opportunity of this ceasefire and to ensure it leads to a credible pathway towards a two-state solution in which Israelis and Palestinians can live side by side in peace.”

Spain, Denmark, Belgium

Spain, Denmark and Belgium have also expressed concern over the Knesset legislation on UNRWA.

“Spain expresses its deepest concern about the impact that this decision will have on the humanitarian situation in Gaza and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories, putting at risk the ceasefire,” said a statement issued by Spain’s Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

The Danish Foreign Ministry said it was “deeply concerned by the consequences of Israeli laws on UNRWA. We are closely following their implementation.”

“Denmark continues to stand behind UNRWA, which plays a key role for regional stability and relief to Palestinians in oPt & beyond,” it added.

Belgium’s Foreign Ministry said it “deeply regrets the expulsion of UNRWA from East Jerusalem and the ban on its operations.”

It called on Israel “to revert the implementation of the Knesset Laws. UNRWA’s humanitarian assistance is indispensable and irreplaceable.”

‘Our Teams are Staying’

UNRWA’s Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement on Friday that “our teams are staying and delivering humanitarian assistance to Palestine Refugees across the West Bank and Gaza.”

Lazzarini pointed out that in Gaza, since the beginning of the ceasefire, UNRWA has supplied “60% of the food brought in by the humanitarian community, already reaching 600,00 people.”

UNRWA provides 17,000 health consultations daily, he noted. While in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, “nearly half a million Palestinian Refugees continue to access primary health care.”

“UNRWA must be allowed to do its work until Palestinian institutions are empowered and capable within a Palestinian State to take over education and health services that the Agency provides,” he emphasized.

‘Suspend Implementation’ of Law

The Bureau of the Advisory Commission on UNRWA has called on the Israeli government “as the occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt), to suspend the implementation of the Israeli State legislation curtailing UNRWA’s operations in the oPt.”

“The Bureau is convinced that until a just and durable solution to the plight of Palestine Refugees is reached in accordance with international law and relevant UN Resolutions, UNRWA remains essential in all five fields of operations,” it added.

“As a provider of essential services to Palestine Refugees, UNRWA has a crucial role not only as a humanitarian actor contributing to the sustainability of the ceasefire, but also as indispensable for the human and economic development of Palestinians and for the path towards a durable political solution,” it said in a statement.