Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has formally notified U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres of Israel’s demand for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) to cease its operations in Jerusalem and evacuate its premises by January 30, 2025.
The directive follows recent legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset, terminating Israel’s agreements with UNRWA and citing national security concerns.
In a letter addressed to Guterres, Danon outlined the rationale behind the decision, emphasizing “the acute national security risks posed by the widespread infiltration of UNRWA’s ranks by Hamas and other terrorist organizations.” He also accused the agency of failing to address Israel’s long-standing concerns and of compromising its “fundamental obligation to impartiality and neutrality beyond repair.”
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President Donald Trumphas also been a vocal critic of UNRWA, withholding funding for it during his first term as president. The United States had previously been UNRWA’s largest donor, contributing more than $350 million annually. In March, Congress agreed to cut funding to the controversial agency for a year.
A spokesperson for the U.N. Secretary-General told Fox News Digital, “The Secretary-General has been clear in the need to maintain support for UNRWA, which is the backbone of U.N. operations in the occupied Palestinian Territory.”
Danon’s letter stated that “months of good-faith engagement” with the United Nations had failed to produce results, accusing UNRWA of abusing its immunity to bypass local laws and regulations. He underscored Israel’s legal position, asserting that “no state is required to assist and cooperate with an entity that undermines its national security.”
Anne Bayefsky, Director of the Touro Institute on Human Rights and the Holocaust and President of Human Rights Voices, told Fox News Digital said Israel’s move is a long time coming. “UNRWA is a cash cow for the United Nations, and also for Palestinian so-called refugees who—in marked contrast to refugees everywhere else in the world—supposedly inherit their refugee status as long as the Jews are still there. UNRWA schools have taught generations of Palestinians to hate the Jews next door and to spend their lives seeking to terminate Israel instead of cohabiting in peace.”
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The legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset includes two complementary bills that sever all ties between Israel and UNRWA, including the termination of diplomatic visas and services provided to the agency. The bills received overwhelming support from both coalition and opposition members of the Knesset.
Critics of the legislation, including the Biden administration, have warned that it could create a humanitarian crisis for the millions of Palestinians who rely on UNRWA for education, healthcare, and basic services.
During a U.N. press briefing on Friday, a spokesperson responded to questions regarding the situation, stating, “We are in touch, but we have continued to emphasize the indispensability of UNRWA.” When asked about contingency plans should the Israeli legislation be implemented, the spokesperson said, “We will see what the future brings. Obviously, we are doing our utmost and UNRWA will do its utmost to continue to provide aid to the people under our mandate, as much as we can.”
Before the Israeli letter was made public, an UNRWA spokeswoman had previously told Fox News Digital they didn’t have a plan in place for ongoing operations once the ban starts.
The spokesperson claimed that, “UNRWA has the most robust systems in place in comparison to other United Nations agencies when it comes to the adherence to the principle of neutrality with regards to our programs that we do and our staff.”
In August, UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini confirmed the probable involvement of UNRWA employees in the Oct.7 massacre. He later confirmed that at least nine UNRWA staffers were fired after an internal probe.
Danon called on the United Nations to “put an end to the unprecedented infiltration and abuse of a U.N. organ by terrorist organizations” to restore the U.N.’s credibility.
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