Israel’s Knesset Votes to Ban UNRWA Operations in Israel: What This Means for Palestinians and the Region
Israel’s Knesset has recently approved a bill that has drawn the ire of many in the international community. The measures aim to isolate the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating in the region. This decision has reignited a serious debate of how the Palestinian refugees will be handled in the region, the purpose of UNWRA, and the action that will be taken to the communities that are reliant on the organization services.
Understanding UNRWA’s Role and Mission
On the basis of displacement of Palestine’s Arab population due to the first Arab-Israeli war of 1948, the UN established UNRWA in 1949. The organization has over the decades rendered great support through the provision of health services, education to refugee children, housing provision, and disaster relief. In fact, these programs assists more than 5 million registered Palestinian refugees across Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and Gaza.
The Decision by the Knesset
Recently, the Knesset made it a rule that UNRWA should cease all of its operations in Israel within three months. Those in support of the sanctions against UNRWA particularly those who resides in Israel, argues that especially in East Jerusalem areas, they represent the idea of eternal refugee and therefore rather than being the solution to the conflicts they are the reasons for the everlasting war.
Arguments For and Against the Ban Arguments Supporting the Ban Supporters claim that UNRWA’s policies have fostered a Complain of dependency that perpetuates a ‘right of return’ me
