As the Israeli military obliterates Gaza, massacres refugees living in tents in so called “safe zones” and slaughters 39,000 people including at least 16,000 children, its government works to “finish off” UNRWA.

It is doing this by killing 197 of its staff in Gaza, bombing its schools and health facilities, destroying its distribution centres, its headquarters in Gaza, freezing its assets and closing down its Jerusalem offices, and it now is in the process of passing legislation designating a United Nations body, UNRWA as a “terrorist organisation”. It is a step in a long held desire by Israel to remove UNRWA from the Gaza and the West Bank.

UNRWA reports that “On May 30, the Knesset approved the first reading of legislation authorising the Foreign Ministry to designate UNRWA as a terror organisation and strip it of its diplomatic immunity, tax-exempt status, and other legal benefits.” This is a dangerous attack on the United Nations and on the principles that it stands for and if successful sets a dangerous precedent for similar extremest and right winged nations to destroy the international order represented by the UN.

In addition to its actions in Gaza there have been several assaults on UNRWA in East Jerusalem that have become increasingly dangerous with at least two arson attacks on the Jerusalem compound, where crowds including children chanted “let the UN burn”, and threw stones. Staff doing their work and travelling across the Occupied Territories have also faced dangerous harassment and UNRWA cars have been attacked by settlers. In Gaza UNRWA convoys have come under attack despite coordinating movement.

In contrast to this move by the Israeli government, 118 countries shared a commitment to provide ongoing funding........

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