People walk past the damaged headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (Unrwa) in Gaza City, Feb. 15, 2024. (Credit: AFP)
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been ordered by Israel to vacate its offices and cease its activities in East Jerusalem by Jan. 30, 2025. Last October, the Israeli Parliament passed a law prohibiting the agency from operating on its territory. Israel has long accused UNRWA of maintaining ties with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, although a U.N. investigation revealed that fewer than 10 employees out of nearly 13,000 had such ties, all of whom were promptly dismissed. This unprecedented decision directly challenges international norms that generally grant U.N. agencies immunity from unilateral actions by states.The agency has not yet received clear guidance on how the ban will be implemented, but its head, Philippe Lazzarini, has insisted that UNRWA will continue its operations in...
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been ordered by Israel to vacate its offices and cease its activities in East Jerusalem by Jan. 30, 2025. Last October, the Israeli Parliament passed a law prohibiting the agency from operating on its territory. Israel has long accused UNRWA of maintaining ties with Hamas in the Gaza Strip, although a U.N. investigation revealed that fewer than 10 employees out of nearly 13,000 had such ties, all of whom were promptly dismissed. This unprecedented decision directly challenges international norms that generally grant U.N. agencies immunity from unilateral actions by states.The agency has not yet received clear guidance on how the ban will be implemented, but its head, Philippe Lazzarini, has insisted that UNRWA will continue its operations in...