What is next for the Palestinians post UNRWA?
The Israeli Knesset’s October 2024 legislation that banned the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from carrying out operations and forbade Israeli officials from coordinating with the agency came into effect on January 30 amid some international backlash and support from the United States.
The United States representative to the UN, Dorothy Shea, who suggested UNRWA officials were “exaggerating the effects of the laws”, said Washington supports the implementation of the decision, in contrast to the previous Biden administration’s stance which opposed the shutting down of the UN agency, citing its role in delivering humanitarian assistance in Gaza.
“We are concerned about reports that returned Israeli hostages were held by Hamas in UN facilities during their prolonged captivity in Gaza. It is vital for a full and independent investigation to assess these very serious allegations,” Shea said in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) session last week, adding that a pattern of serious allegations about the misuse of UN facilities– particularly UNRWA facilities – by Hamas existed. President Trump is also expected to withdraw the US from the UN Rights Council and extend the funding ban on UNRWA. The executive order withdrawing the support is expected on the same day the White House is set to host Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is currently on a visit to the United States.
UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini warned of “disastrous” consequences as a result of the implementation of the ban, underscoring that curtailing UNRWA’s work would undermine the ceasefire, sabotage Gaza’s recovery plans and prospects of a political transition. UNRWA argues that for 76 years it has provided support to Palestinians through delivering humanitarian assistance, food, shelter, education, and various social services. One fundamental aspect of UNRWA’s mission is also the Palestinian right of return, enshrined in UN General Assembly Resolution 194, which some say poses a threat to Israel and its Jewish nature as a state.
According to Israel’s critics and organizations like Amnesty International, the UNRWA ban raises concerns regarding compliance with international law as it violates the Conventions on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations, which stipulate that UN facilities should be respected and that UNRWA’s properties and assets must be protected from interference. The decision poses a risk to the support being delivered to two million Palestinians in Gaza and is set to affect health, humanitarian, and educational services for approximately one million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Without proper coordination with Israel and an outright ban, UNRWA will face significant challenges in operating in Gaza and the West Bank, mainly due to the fact that Israel is responsible for issuing entry permits to the agency’s staff and controlling access to Gaza from Egypt with its forces stationed along the shared border.
In a speech at the UNSC last week, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, declared that the Knesset legislation coming into force concerns issues within Israel rather than Gaza, Jordan, or Lebanon, asserting that UNRWA would no longer be permitted to operate from Israel.
Danon cited the agency’s failure in addressing the “widespread infiltration in its ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.” Danon further indicated that the transition of UNRWA’s role in Gaza would be gradual, suggesting that other UN agencies would eventually take over these responsibilities.
Israel categorically maintains that UNRWA has failed in its mandate and has not addressed terror links within its ranks, sharing evidence of some staff members’ links to the October 7 massacre. A United Nations investigation has indicated that nine out of the 13,000 employees of UNRWA in Gaza may have been involved in the October 7 attacks, leading to their departure from the agency.
Prior to the ban, the UN expressed concerns about the potential negative impacts of ceasing UNRWA’s operations, while Israel maintained that the agency could be replaced.
As the ban comes into effect, uncertainty looms around UNRWA’s future. According to the UN, staff from its East Jerusalem office have already been required to evacuate and relocate to Amman, Jordan. Meanwhile, the humanitarian operation in Gaza carries on for now, a post from UNRWA’s X account said, vowing to continue “staying and delivering”.
Israel has not yet proposed an alternative to UNRWA and the deteriorating relations between Israel and the United Nations prevent the UN from filling the vacuum created. If gaps remain unaddressed, shutting down UNRWA’s operations in Gaza could strengthen Hamas, in a blow to Israel’s own efforts to dismantle it, as it would be the only group responsible for distributing humanitarian aid in the area. Specifics on how Israel plans to enforce a ban on UNRWA operations and how the support post UNRWA will be delivered to the Palestinians also remain ambiguous.
It would be vital for Israel to address the potential void in humanitarian efforts that would arise as a result of an uncertain UNRWA future and for the greater good of both Israelis and Palestinians… where the Palestinians’ well-being is assured and Israel’s security stays intact.