• Israeli Knesset bans UNWRA from operating in Israel and Palestinian territories and labels it a terrorist organization.
• UNWRA the main source of humanitarian assistance to Gaza is now due to stop operations in 90 days.
The Israeli Knesset has voted to expel UN agency UNWRA from operating in its territory.
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has been responsible for most Gaza’s humanitarian response, including providing access to food and water and to schooling.
UNWRA head, Philippe Lazzarini said that the vote by Israeli law makers was a “dangerous precedent” and went on to say the vote would “delegitimise its role towards providing human development assistance and services to Palestine refugees”.
The reaction so far
Many countries including most of Israel’s allies, including the United States has called for the ban to be reversed or have labelled it deeply concerning.
The reality of the democracy of Israel
The Knesset vote was 92-10 in favour of the ban on UNWRA while the second legislation to make designate UNWRA a terrorist organisation was passed by 87-9.
This outlines the reality that unlike the mainstream medias portrayal as extremism only being in the echelons of government within the Israeli establishment, the vast majority of democratically elected Israeli MPs also hold extremist and gravely dangerous views outlining the majority of the populaces extremist stance.
