Israel's allies call out move to ban UNRWA

Seven countries urge Knesset MPs to 'abide by international obligations' ahead of Monday's vote on two measures outlawing agency

An UNRWA vehicle is seen through the shrapnel-riddled windscreen of a bus damaged by Israeli artillery outside Deir Al Balah in the Gaza Strip. AFP

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A group of western and Asia-Pacific governments has called out Israel’s new bills outlawing the UN’s Palestinian relief agency UNRWA in an effort to intensify pressure before Monday's vote in the Israeli parliament.

The group of seven, which comprises the governments of the UK, France, Germany and Canada, Australia, Japan and South Korea, said it had “grave concerns” about two laws that are being considered by the Knesset.

The two bills that are expected to be approved on Monday would remove the privileges and immunities given to UNRWA as a UN agency, ban it from Israel and prohibit Israeli officials and government bodies from having contact with it.

The agency relies on co-ordination with the defence forces and on entrance permits issued in Jerusalem for access to the territories it serves. The two laws could make it “impossible” for the agency to continue providing services and humanitarian aid in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

The international coalition warned of the legislation's “devastating” effects on aid and services in Gaza and the West Bank. In a statement, the foreign ministers of these seven countries urged Israel “abide by its international obligations … and live up to its responsibility” to allow aid and basic services into the Palestinian territories.

“UNRWA provides essential and life-saving humanitarian aid and basic services to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, East Jerusalem, the West Bank and throughout the region,” they wrote in a statement on Saturday.

“Without its work, the provision of such assistance and services, including education, health care, and fuel distribution in Gaza and the West Bank would be severely hampered if not impossible, with devastating consequences on an already critical and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, particularly in northern Gaza.

“It is crucial that UNRWA and other UN organisations and agencies be fully able to deliver humanitarian aid and their assistance to those who need it most, fulfilling their mandates effectively.”

All of the countries signing the statement, with the exception of South Korea, had previously pulled their funding from UNRWA after Israel accused some of the agency’s staff of participating in the October 7 attack, and of allowing Hamas to use some of its facilities to store weapons.

That funding was resumed after an independent review of the agency in 2024 by Catherine Colonna, former minister for Europe and foreign affairs of France, said Israel had not supplied the evidence to back these claims, and called on the agency to implement internal reforms.

The UK's new Labour government restored the funding after it came to power in July.

In their statement, the seven foreign ministers said they were satisfied that UNRWA was working towards these reforms, and that they would monitor the process.

“UNRWA has taken steps to address allegations … and demonstrated its willingness to pursue and implement reform of internal processes in line with the independent review of April 2024, led by Ms Catherine Colonna,” they said.

“We call on UNRWA to continue its path of reform as a priority, demonstrating its commitment to the principle of neutrality, and ensure that its activities remain entirely in line with its mandate. We will continue to actively monitor and support this process.”