The Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned the Israeli Knesset’s approval of bills that ban the activities of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in the occupied Palestinian territories and prevent its employees from obtaining the diplomatic privileges and immunities granted to UN organizations operating in the occupied Palestinian territories, including occupied East Jerusalem.
The ministry considers this a blatant violation of international law and Israel’s obligations as the occupying power in the occupied Palestinian territories.
The ministry’s spokesperson, Ambassador Sufyan Qudah, stated that the approval of these laws is part of a systematic campaign targeting the agency and a continuation of Israel’s frantic efforts to politically assassinate the agency, furthering its aggressive war against the Palestinian people. He pointed out that these Israeli measures and practices are illegal and void.
Qudah affirmed that Israel’s attempts to target the agency and its symbolism, which affirms the right of Palestinian refugees to return and compensation according to international law, are doomed to fail.
He stressed the urgent need for the international community to act immediately to confront Israel’s aggressive practices against Palestinians and to impose deterrent measures to ensure the protection of the Palestinian people and UN organizations and relief agencies.
Qudah also warned of the catastrophic consequences of the continued Israeli campaign of allegations and measures aimed at politically assassinating UNRWA and obstructing its efforts to provide essential services and humanitarian aid to Palestinians amid the humanitarian disaster caused by Israel’s genocide of the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and its ongoing dangerous escalation in the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.
The Jordanian official also emphasized the importance of the mandate granted to UNRWA according to its UN mandate and the necessity for the international community to continue providing financial and political support to the agency, which plays an indispensable and irreplaceable role, to ensure its continued provision of vital services to Palestinian refugees in its five areas of operation.
