'Deeply concerned': UK minister criticizes Israel's proposal to end UNRWA cooperation
The UK minister spoke during a joint statement from seven European foreign ministries that urged Israel to drop the proposed bill.
Israel's democracy would be "deeply harmed" if the Knesset were to pass bills to end Israeli government cooperation with UNRWA, said Member of Parliament and the UK's Middle East minister Hamish Falconer, according to a Sunday report by The Guardian.
The UK minister wrote a statement alongside seven foreign ministers from around the world, which urged Israel to drop the bill.
"We, the Foreign Ministers of Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Japan, Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom, express our grave concern over legislation currently under consideration by the Israeli Knesset, aimed at revoking the privileges and immunities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), forbidding any contact between Israeli state entities, officials and UNRWA, and prohibiting any UNRWA presence within Israel," the ministers urged.
"It is crucial that UNRWA and other UN organizations and agencies be fully able to deliver humanitarian aid and their assistance to those who need it most, fulfilling their mandates effectively," the statement said.
UK minister urges more Gaza aid
Falconer also urged Israel to allow more aid into Gaza while speaking at a conference in London organized by Haaretz. While speaking, Falconer also said that the measures taken by the Labour government did not indicate a decline in support for Israel. The Guardian quoted Falconer saying that such a development would "neither be in Israel's interest or realistic" and that he is "deeply concerned" by the legislation.
"Given the agency’s vital role in delivering aid and essential services at a time when more aid should be getting into Gaza, it is deeply harmful to Israel’s international reputation as a democratic country that its lawmakers are taking steps that would make the delivering of food, water, medicines, and healthcare more difficult."
The statement from foreign ministers was posted by UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy to X/Twitter, writing, "The UK and international partners have set out our grave concerns about proposed Israeli Knesset legislation aimed at revoking UNRWA's privileges and immunities."
The UK and international partners have set out our grave concerns about proposed Israeli Knesset legislation aimed at revoking @UNRWA’s privileges and immunities. Israel must abide by its obligations and ensure UNRWA can continue its lifesaving work in Gaza and the West Bank.…
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) October 27, 2024
"Israel must abide by its obligations and ensure UNRWA continues its lifesaving work in Gaza and the West Bank."
The Knesset is set to pass two bills on Monday that would shut down UNRWA operations in east Jerusalem, Gaza, and the West Bank within 90 days, despite a massive international pressure campaign against such a step.
A source in the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed to The Jerusalem Post that the bills were expected to pass.
Tovah Lazaroff and Eliav Breuer contributed to this report.
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