UN agency ban by Israel 'jeopardizes millions'

Israel faced an international backlash yesterday after its parliament approved a bill banning the main United Nations aid agency for the devastated Gaza Strip, where deadly bombing continues.

Despite global concerns, including in the United States, lawmakers overwhelmingly voted to ban the agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, from working in Israel and annexed east Jerusalem.

Israeli officials are also prohibited from working with UNRWA and its employees.

Israel strictly controls all humanitarian aid shipments to Gaza, where its forces have been fighting Palestinian militant group Hamas for more than a year in a conflict that the Hamas-run territory's health ministry says has killed more than 43,000.

The danger to the densely populated territory was underlined on Monday when an airstrike destroyed a five-story residential block and killed more than 55.

UNRWA has provided aid, schooling and health care across the Palestinian territories and to Palestinian refugees elsewhere for more than seven decades.

"There is a deep connection between [Hamas] and UNRWA, and Israel cannot put up with it," Yuli Edelstein said in presenting the bill proposing the ban.

But several of its Western allies voiced disquiet, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer saying Britain was "gravely concerned."

Germany, a staunch defender of Israel's security, warned it would "effectively make UNRWA's work in Gaza, the West Bank and east Jerusalem impossible jeopardizing vital humanitarian aid for millions."

UN chief Antonio Guterres said it could have "devastating consequences."

Jordan, which hosts UNRWA offices, said it is a "continuation of Israel's efforts to assassinate the UN agency politically."

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it was "ready" to continue providing aid to Gaza "in a way that does not threaten Israel's security."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE