Outcry as Israeli parliament approves bill declaring UN relief agency 'terrorists'

[groundloop]

Source: The Independent

The Israeli parliament on Monday gave preliminary approval to a bill declaring a UN relief agency working for Palestinian refugees a terrorist organisation.

The bill, sponsored by Israeli politician Yulia Malinovsky, accused the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) of acting as a “fifth column within Israel”. The bill claimed many of UNRWA’s staff were members of terrorist groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, though no evidence was provided.

UNRWA, which offers essential services to millions of Palestinians, has faced increasing opposition from Israel, which has called for its dissolution.

This vote marks a significant escalation in Israel’s efforts to dismantle the agency, despite international pushback and some donor countries resuming funding, in the wake of Hamas’s 7 October surprise attack that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza. UNRWA suspended 12 workers accused of taking part in the attack.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/israeli-parliament-un-palestine-gaza-terrorists-b2584168.html

[Martin68]

1. Order families into as "safe space," bomb the safe space, order families to move to a different "safe space."

Then bomb that one. Make no attempt to provide water, food and medical care for hundreds of thousands of refugees they've created. Then label the UN organization that tries to provide a very limited amount of relief in spite of numerous death by UN and relief agencies at the hands of the IDF a "terrrorist organization." A recipe for a humanitarian disaster. But we won't call it genocide or crimes agains humanity because Hamas.

[Beastly Boy]

10. You make it sound like those orders are random and capricious

In fact, thy are given prior to IDF taking action against terrorists who moved into "safe spaces"

Did it ever occur to you to ask why Hamas terrorists and their weapons keep moving into "safe spaces"? Do they not give shit about civilians who evacuated there in hopes to avoid bloodshed?

Oh wait... never mind.

[The Mouth]

2. If they are doing anything to aid a single member of Hamas, then they are terrorists

UNRWA is a "relief agency" the same way Palestine Chronicles is about "journalism". Both are about bringing aid and comfort to those who want to destroy Israel and kill Jews.

[Martin68]

5. I have seen no evidence that the UNRWA aids terrorists or Hamas. It is always possible that an employee stepped

over the line, but that does not implicate the entire organization. There are moles in every organization who are secretly planted to achieve a goal that conflicts with that of the organization itself. Your extreme expression of an extremist view is out of place here on DU unless you can provide evidence of your wild accusations.

[EX500rider]

8. Sure, if you don't count that whole storing weapons on their grounds..

Rockets found in UNRWA school, for third time

https://www.timesofisrael.com/rockets-found-in-unrwa-school-for-third-time/

[Martin68]

9. You assume UNRWA knew about the storage of the weapons? Could you provide details to back that up?

[EX500rider]

12. Right..

And what did they do with the rockets?
Hand them over to the "authorities" ie give them to Hamas to fire at Israeli cities.

[Beastly Boy]

11. You may not have seen the evidence, but UNRWA certainly had.

Israel has list of UNRWA staff allegedly also active for Hamas

Israel had identified 108 UNRWA employees to whom this applies and presented a list of them to UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini, the Israeli embassy in Berlin announced.

--snip--

UNRWA confirmed on request that it had received "a letter from the Israeli government with accusations against employees working in the Gaza Strip."

The letter contained the list of around 100 people who were said to be members of the military arm of Hamas, the agency said. "UNRWA takes these allegations seriously," it added.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/israel-list-unrwa-staff-allegedly-134148497.html?fr=yhssrp_catchall

Their response? Months later they fired a couple of scapegoats. With severance pay, I am sure.

[Martin68]

13. So the makes UNRWA a "terrorist organization?" Incompetent or naive, perhaps, but that's absurd.

But I do see quite a bit of hyperbole from both sides.

[Beastly Boy]

15. Negligent at best, complicit at worst

Does it make them a terrorist organization? Probably not. But their permissive employment practices make them enablers of terrorism for sure.

[Martin68]

16. That's a significant difference. Throwing the words "terrorist organization" willy nilly undermines the credibility

of the accuser and their cause. That the Israeli Parliament would do so brings their understanding and/or honesty into question. There would be other, more professional avenues for making that point on the international stage. They sound a bit like the US Republican majority in the House.

[Beastly Boy]

17. That's what I said in my post.

It’s an overreaction which may bring the honesty of the Israeli Parliament into question. But not any more than the numerous resolutions accusing Israeli of genocide, apartheid and racism brought UN’s honesty into question.

[alarimer]

3. Fucking monstrous.

100% inhumane.

[maxsolomon]

4. Which part? This bill?

The UNWRA employee's alleged involvement in 10/7?

It's been a contentious issue for some time now: https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/un-gives-update-19-staff-accused-by-israel-oct-7-involvement-2024-04-26/

[alarimer]

6. Netanyahu and Israel's conduct

Including demonizing the UN. Pretty sure it’s bullshit. I would never take this government’s word for anything.

[maxsolomon]

7. The US and multiple other countries cut off aid in response to the allegations.

So, it's risen above the "bullshit" level.

This has been an accusation since the winter. I tend to think any participation in 10/7 was isolated rather than systemic within UNWRA, but the Knesset can pass whatever bill they like - and the UN is passing resolutions condemning Israel as well.

Tit for tat.

[muriel_volestrangler]

14. All countries apart from the US have now resumed funding

when Israel couldn't show evidence for their claims.

Britain will restore funding to the UN’s Palestine relief agency Unrwa, the foreign secretary has announced, in Labour’s first major departure from the previous government’s stance towards the Middle East crisis.

David Lammy told MPs on Friday he had decided to unfreeze funding, which was suspended in January after Israel alleged that Unrwa staff were involved in the 7 October attack by Hamas. Catherine Colonna, a former French foreign minister, carried out a review of the allegations for the UN earlier this year but said she was given no evidence by the Israelis to back up their claims.

Lammy’s decision marks a rare split between the UK and the US on policy towards Gaza, leaving the US as the only country not to have restored funding.

Lammy told the Commons: “I was appalled by the allegations that Unrwa staff were involved in the 7 October attacks. But the UN took these allegations seriously … We are reassured that after Catherine Colonna’s independent review, Unrwa is ensuring they meet the highest standards of neutrality and strengthening its procedures including on vetting.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/19/uk-to-resume-funding-un-palestine-relief-agency-unrwa-david-lammy