Letter landing with UK MPs calls for coalition to face down Israel’s UNRWA ban

Majority of parliamentarians receive public plea for Palestinian support written by Balfour Project

A Palestinian carries UNRWA aid in Gaza. Reuters

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More than half of Britain's MPs were contacted this week by constituents urging the UK government to do more to pressure Israel against its planned ban on the UN’s Palestinian relief agency (UNRWA).

Though UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly opposed the ban, a letter sent to 353 of the UK’s 650 MPs has urged the government to impose “serious consequences” on Britain’s direct relations with Israel should it come into effect.

Two bills passed by the Israeli Knesset last October could come into effect on January 30. They would prohibit UNRWA from operating out of East Jerusalem, and end Israel issuing visas to the agency’s staff.

This is expected to have devastating effects on humanitarian aid delivery into the Palestinian territories. The possibility of an imminent ceasefire means more of the urgently needed aid is likely to get into Gaza.

UNRWA's director Philippe Lazzarini was defiant on Thursday, telling a conference in Oslo his agency would continue to provide aid despite the proposed ban.

“We will … stay and deliver,” he said, “UNRWA’s local staff will remain and continue to provide emergency assistance and, where possible, education and primary health care."

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy met Israeli counterpart Gideon Sa’ar this week to “stress the urgent need … for aid restrictions to be lifted”, while Minister for the Middle East Hamish Falconer expressed the UK’s frustrations with Israel’s aid restrictions in Gaza earlier this month.

But the letter urges the government to step up its efforts and “translate” words into action if the ban is implemented.

The letter, drafted by the Balfour Project, a group of former British diplomats, said the UK should work in a coalition with allies to pressurise Israel.

“The UK has historic and legal obligations to act decisively to address this crisis,” the letter states. "Our government should work with partners to dissuade Israel from banning UNRWA, making it clear that if Israel proceeds, the consequences for our bilateral relations will be severe.

“Mr Lammy is well aware of the options at his disposal in that event – the need now is to prevent the ban taking effect. Decisive action now is needed to prevent an irreversible, intentional humanitarian catastrophe that could have severe consequences for our own future security.”

Though the letter does not detail the Foreign Secretary’s options, these could take the form of sanctions on illegal settlements, a recognition of the Palestinian state and a ban on settlement trade – all measures Mr Lammy has so far sought to avoid.