Taoiseach Simon Harris and aid charities have condemned Israel’s decision to ban a Palestinian refugee aid organisation as a “gross violation of humanitarian law”.
Israel’s parliament voted to pass laws banning the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) from operating within Israel and occupied East Jerusalem, accusing the organisation of colluding with Hamas in Gaza.
UNRWA is the main UN aid agency working to bring supplies to civilians in Gaza, with several countries expressing concern over the move.
President Michael D Higgins also said the ban on the aid agency was an “appalling failure of democracy” and called on governments to “stop the horror of history”.
Mr Harris said he strongly condemned the move to ban the UNRWA, while the Irish government joined those in Norway, Slovenia and Spain in a statement which said the aid organisation was “essential and irreplaceable” for millions of refugees.
“I strongly condemn the passage of legislation in the Israeli Knesset that forbids contact between the Israeli State and UNRWA,” the taoiseach said.
“If implemented, it will make it impossible for UNRWA to carry out its vital role across the region, including bringing humanitarian assistance to people in desperate need.
“It breaches Israel’s obligations in international law. UNRWA saves lives. If it cannot carry out its mission, people will die.
“UNRWA works on a mandate given to it by the United Nations. All member states should condemn the legislation, call on Israel to repeal it immediately and redouble their support to UNRWA and the Palestinian people.”
President Michael D Higgins said the ban on the aid agency was an “appalling failure of democracy” and called on governments to “stop the horror of history”.
“(There are) 100,000 people in northern Gaza, the majority women and children, are effectively trapped with no safe place to go to. Two of their three hospitals are destroyed and one is under siege,” Mr Higgins said in a statement.
“Older people are dragged from their hospital beds and the extraordinarily brave medical staff who have stayed with the most vulnerable are paying with their lives and the threat of arrest.”
“Given the circumstances of people starving to death, the placing under attack of the United Nations agency that is responsible for keeping them alive constitutes an appalling failure of diplomacy and the use of starvation as a weapon of war.
“It is time to stop this horror of history. Palestine and Israel will ultimately have to live together in spaces adjacent to each other.”
Caoimhe de Barra, the CEO of Irish aid charity Trócaire said the decision will be the difference between life and death for many in Gaza.
“Trócaire is appalled at the banning of UNRWA by Israel’s parliament,” Ms de Barra said.
“Almost the entire population of Gaza is reliant on UNRWA for the basic necessities which can be the difference between life and death - this includes food, water and hygiene supplies.
“Banning UNRWA is a gross violation of humanitarian law as it’s deliberately inflicting even greater deprivation and harm on a civilian population in the middle of a war.
“This is appalling. All states must now pressure Israel to reverse this decision immediately.”
William Bell, Christian Aid’s Head of Middle East Region, said: “Severing this lifeline in Gaza as winter threatens to exacerbate an already desperate situation is cruel and dangerous.
“By obstructing UNRWA’s operations instead of facilitating them, Israel is breaching the provisional measures to prevent genocide ordered by the ICJ.
“In addition to the physical hardship this ban will impose, this is part of the Israeli state’s ongoing challenge to the eligibility of Palestinian refugees to claim the right of return to their former homes across Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.
“Once again international leaders have either been unable or unwilling to protect the most basic rights of Palestinians, including their existence as a sovereign people.”
