Seven countries express concern over Israeli draft law banning UNRWA

The foreign ministers of Japan and six other countries expressed "grave concern" on Sunday regarding an Israeli draft law that seeks to ban the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) from operating within Israel.

The draft legislation, currently under discussion in the Israeli parliament, aims to revoke UNRWA's privileges and immunities, prohibit any interaction between the UN agency and Israeli state agencies and officials, and ban any UNRWA presence within Israel, according to a statement issued by the seven ministers from Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Australia, and South Korea.

The statement noted that if UNRWA's activities are impeded, this would lead to severe consequences for the critical and rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation, particularly in northern Gaza.

The ministers underscored the importance of UNRWA and other UN organisations being fully able to deliver humanitarian aid to those in need.

The statement called on the Israeli government to fulfil its responsibility to facilitate the swift, safe, and unimpeded delivery of all forms of humanitarian aid and to provide essential services to civilian populations in dire need.