Editorial: UN agency vital for welfare of Palestine refugees

November 5 , 2024

Following Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948, Palestinians residing in the annexed area fled, many of them forcibly, to the West Bank of Jordan, Gaza to the east, Syria, Lebanon and other neighboring countries. Today, some six million Palestinian refugees depend on humanitarian aid and basic services provided by the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).

UNRWA, however, is now facing the possibility of being shut down. On October 28, the Israeli Knesset passed legislature barring the UNRWA’s activities, a move led by ultra-conservative members in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Cabinet. They insist that because Gaza, East Jerusalem and the West Bank belong to Israel, the UN agency should no longer operate in those areas.

The foreign ministers of Japan and six other countries, including Canada, Australia, France and South Korea, preemptively responded by issuing a joint statement on October 26 rebuffing the two proposed Israeli bills. A day after their passage, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said his government would work together with other nations to persuade Israel from putting the laws into force.

On October 30, members of the UN Security Council issued a press statement expressing grave concern over the legislation, stating that “no organization can replace or substitute UNRWA’s capacity and mandate.”

While Israeli officials accuse UNRWA of being riddled with Hamas agents, independent UN inquiries reported that Israel had not provided any evidence for its accusation and that UN agency employs strict protocols ensuring that its work remains unbiased. Such findings may not satisfy the Netanyahu’s administration hawkish ministers. Komeito, however, believes the international community must continue supporting UNRWA and its assistance and basic services for Palestinian refugees.