New york: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has voiced strong condemnation regarding the Israeli parliament's recent amendments to a law aimed at ceasing the operations of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA). Guterres criticized the amendments as efforts to undermine the agency's ability to fulfill its mandate effectively.
According to Anadolu Agency, Guterres emphasized that the new amendments are inconsistent with the international legal framework that applies to UNRWA. He urged for the immediate repeal of the law and its amendments, noting that the agency operates as a crucial part of the UN, protected under the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN. This convention extends legal protections to UNRWA's assets, property, officials, and personnel.
Guterres highlighted that the property used by UNRWA is inviolable and reminded Israel of its obligations under the UN Charter and the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the UN. He referred to the International Court of Justice's Advisory Opinion dated October 22, which affirmed Israel's responsibility to respect the UN's privileges and immunities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including those of UNRWA and its personnel.
The Secretary-General reaffirmed his strong support for UNRWA, stating its indispensable role in aiding the Palestinian people in Gaza and the broader region. He noted that the agency's ongoing operations contribute significantly to the implementation of Security Council resolution 2803 (2025) and the Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict.
The Israeli Knesset recently passed a bill to cut electricity and water supplies to UNRWA offices, which came into effect immediately. Army Radio reported that the bill was approved in its second and third readings, with 59 Knesset members voting in favor and seven opposed in the 120-seat parliament. Israeli law requires legislation to pass three readings in the Knesset before becoming binding.
In October 2024, the Knesset also passed a separate law banning UNRWA activities in Israel, citing allegations that some of the agency's staff were involved in the October 7, 2023, attack against Israel by Hamas, claims that UNRWA has denied. UNRWA was established over 70 years ago by the UN General Assembly to assist Palestinians forcibly displaced from their land.