The Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced in a statement the new Israeli attack against the agency, which is in charge of helping the population of the occupied Palestinian territories. It also stated that the decision seeks to “settle the issue of Palestinian refugees and their inherent right of return” to their lands.

The Ministry also criticized the systematic campaign against UNRWA since the beginning of the new cycle of violence on October 7th of last year, including attacks against its employees, its buildings in the Gaza Strip, and its caravans with humanitarian aid.

Israeli government authorities, on repeated occasions, accused the agency of complicity with the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in the Strip, but both parties denied this accusation.

Israel claims, although without providing evidence, that many workers at the institution belong to Palestinian militias, which use the facilities as command centers and shelters.

The secretary of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Hussein Al-Sheikh, stated that the vote at the Knesset (Israeli parliament) demonstrates the contempt of the Israeli regime for the international community and its organizations.

The president of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, also condemned the measure. “This racist and anarchic terrorist occupation (i.e. Israel) which committed all types of crimes: theft, genocide, confiscation of land and burning of children, must be held accountable”. He also described the decision as dangerous and warned about its political dimensions by pointing out its aims to eliminate international organizations that the Palestinians support. “Netanyahu is exploiting the declaration of a state of war to approve racist laws aimed at genocide, ethnic cleansing, and forced displacement against our Palestinian people,” he denounced.

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