Israel’s UNRWA ban comes into effect

The decision was driven by the agency’s “constant refusal to address the widespread infiltration of its ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.”

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon informed the Security Council on Tuesday that Jerusalem intends to terminate all ties with the U.N. Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in 48 hours, asserting that the agency “has miserably failed in its mandate.”

Danon emphasized that this decision, supported by the United States, was not politically motivated but necessary. He attributed it to UNRWA’s “constant refusal to address the widespread infiltration of its ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.” The diplomat reiterated Israel’s accusations against UNRWA, alleging its complicity in terrorism, including the existence of terror tunnels beneath two of its schools in Gaza and the promotion of anti-Israel indoctrination in its educational curriculum.

The Council convened to address the escalating crisis at UNRWA ahead of the Israeli actions outlawing the agency.

Algeria, which assumed the Security Council presidency in January, requested the meeting. It is the second Council session this month dedicated to UNRWA’s situation.

Israel has also revealed that perpetrators of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 massacre in southern Israel were on the agency’s payroll, including a social worker at UNRWA who abducted the body of 21-year-old Israeli civilian Yonatan Samerano to Gaza.

“This terrorist returned home to a paycheck signed by you, Mr. Lazzarani,” Danon declared, directing his pointed finger at UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini.

“You signed his paycheck. He got paid until we took care of him. And all those countries that supported UNRWA paid this terrorist for years.”

He emphasized that Jerusalem was prepared to work with other U.N. agencies “untainted by terror and committed to neutrality and accountability.”

During his briefing at the start of the session, Lazzarini claimed that curtailing UNRWA’s activities would “undermine the ceasefire and sabotage Gaza’s recovery and political transition,” calling the full implementation of the Knesset legislation “disastrous.”

He emphasized UNRWA’s essential role, noting it has already provided food aid to over one million people in Gaza during the ceasefire, and stressed the need for the agency’s continued operations to prevent further humanitarian collapse.

Philippe Lazzarini, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees | Photo: Abed Rahim Khatib/Flash90

A fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Hamas terrorist group went into effect on Jan. 19, ending over 15 months of fighting. Hamas still holds 90 hostages, including 87 from Oct. 7, both alive and deceased, who are being released in stages.

The United States Chargé d’affaires to the U.N. Dorothy Shea defended Israel’s “sovereign decision” to close UNRWA’s offices.

“The United States supports the implementation of this decision,” she stated, accusing Lazzarini of overstating its impact.

“UNRWA exaggerating the effects of the laws and suggesting that they will force (out) the entire humanitarian response is irresponsible and dangerous,” she said.

“What is needed is a nuanced discussion about how we can ensure that there’s no interruption in the delivery of humanitarian aid and essential services. UNRWA is not and never has been the only option. Many other agencies have experience and expertise to do this work and have done this work.”

Shea continued: “UNRWA’s work has been tainted and questioned due to the terrorist ties to Hamas that UNRWA staff had that were exposed as a result of Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack.”

Israel notified the United Nations on Saturday that it must evacuate all UNRWA premises in Jerusalem no later than Jan. 30, as Knesset legislation banning the agency’s operations within the Jewish state will take effect on Thursday.

“Israel expects that UNRWA [will] take all the necessary steps to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate all premises in which it operates in the city within the stated time frame,” wrote Danon in a letter addressed to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres.

Outlawing UNRWA in Israel “came as a direct response to the acute national security risks posed by the widespread infiltration of UNRWA’s ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations, and the agency’s persistent refusal to address the very grave and material concerns raised by Israel, and to remedy this intolerable situation,” the letter notes.

Danon stressed that months of talks with the United Nations to address the situation have been met with “blatant disregard.”

On Nov. 4, the Israeli parliament terminated the 1967 agreement outlining the terms of its relations with UNRWA. The director general of Israel’s Foreign Ministry sent a letter to U.N. General Assembly President Philémon Yang of Cameroon explaining that Jerusalem “withdraws its request issued to UNRWA,” and instead “will continue to work with international partners, including other United Nations agencies, to ensure the facilitation of humanitarian aid to civilians in Gaza in a way that does not undermine Israel’s security.”

Then-Foreign Minister Israel Katz said, “UNRWA, whose employees took part in the Oct. 7 massacre and many of whose workers are Hamas operatives, is part of the problem in the Gaza Strip, not part of the solution.”

The United Nations was “provided with countless pieces of evidence regarding Hamas operatives who work at UNRWA and about the use of UNRWA facilities for terrorism, and nothing was done,” he added.