Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon
Israel has officially notified the United Nations of the implementation of its decision to ban the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) on its territory. This was stated by Israel’s representative to the UN, Danny Danon, on social networking site X.
“In accordance with the new legislation, the State of Israel has officially notified the President of the General Assembly that it will cease cooperation with UNRWA. Despite the evidence we provided to the UN about Hamas infiltration of the agency, the UN has not taken any real steps to remedy the situation,” Danon said. He also stressed that Israel is ready to continue cooperation with humanitarian organisations, but not with those that, in his words, “promote terrorism against the country”.
Israel’s decision follows a series of accusations against UNRWA of collaborating with Hamas. In late October, the Israeli Knesset passed a bill banning the agency from operating in the country after reports that one of its employees, Muhammad Abu Attawi, who took part in organising the attacks and abduction of Israelis near Kibbutz Re’im on 7 October, was also a senior Hamas official.
UNRWA has been providing support to Palestinian refugees in the region for many years. However, accusations of ties to militant groups and the UN’s unwillingness, according to Israeli representatives, to investigate the situation have led to a serious crisis in cooperation.
Against the backdrop of the escalating conflict between Israel and Hamas and intensified hostilities in the region, Israel is taking tough measures to tighten control over humanitarian organisations, especially those whose activities, in its view, may contribute to threats to national security.
