The Israeli Knesset voted in favor of a series of bills that will shut down the UN aid agency for Palestinians (UNRWA). One piece of legislation will name UNRWA as a terrorist entity.
On Tuesday, the Israeli legislature passed three bills targeting UNRWA. The legislation will prevent the agency from operating in Israel, strip UNRWA staff of privileges given to other UN employees, and name the organization a terror group.
Each bill passed its first reading by a large majority. The legislation will be returned to the committee and must pass future votes before becoming Israeli law. UNRWA spokesperson Juliette Touma called the law “another attempt in a wider campaign to dismantle the agency,” adding, “Such steps are unheard of in the history of the United Nations.”
Since October 7, Tel Aviv has targeted UNRWA in a propaganda campaign and targeted the organization’s buildings and staff. In January, Israel claimed to have compiled an intelligence dossier that showed UNRWA staff participated in the Hamas attack on southern Israel.