Middle East: Millions in fear: Palestinian aid before the end

Middle East: Millions in fear: Palestinian aid before the end

Mandatory east
Millions of people in fear: Palestinian aid before the end






The Palestinian Aid Work Unrwa takes care of almost six million Palestinian refugees. After more than 70 years, Israel deprives the aid organization the basis of working. What’s next?

Millions of Palestinian refugees fear for their future: Israel is massively restricting the work of the UN aid for Palestine refugees in the Middle East (UNRWA) with effect from January 30th. What it is about:

What are the tasks of the Unrwa?

On behalf of the United Nations (UN), the aid organization has been taking care of the interests of the Palestinians since 1950, which were sold from her homeland during the war in the course of the State of Israel in the Palestine mandate. It ensures basic care until a permanent solution is there. It is about refugees in the areas occupied by Israel, the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, as well as in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria after UN definition. Unlwa takes care of drinking water, waste disposal and social benefits and operates clinics, schools and training centers. The aid organization has around 30,000 employees, 13,000 of them in the Gaza Strip.

What accuses Israel of Unrwa?

Israel accuses the relief organization of being infiltrated by Islamist Hamas. Several employees of the terrorist organization are said to have been involved in the massacre of October 7, 2023. The government has published a video that is supposed to show an unreshing social worker who carries the body of an Israelis into a car on the day of the terrorist attack to drive it into the Gaza Strip. The UN also came to the conclusion that employees were very likely to be involved in terror against Israel. According to the Israeli government, the UN details were given about around 100 Unrwa employees who are supposed to be members of Hamas.

Independent experts have examined the Israeli allegations against twelve Unrwa employees on behalf of the relief organization. Although there are “robust” mechanisms to maintain neutrality, but also need for improvement, her report said with recommendations that are implemented according to Unrwa.

What exactly did Israel’s parliament decide?

With the first law, Israel prohibits the relief organization to represent a representation on Israeli territory and offer services. This includes Israel East Jerusalem, although this is one of the occupied areas after UN definition. There is a larger unknown site with a regional office. Israel wants to confiscate the site and build 1,440 apartments for settlers on it. The second law prohibits Israeli authorities of contact with UNRWA or its representatives. Unrwa employees should also lose privileges such as immunity and tax exemptions.

Why does the Unrwa rely on cooperation with Israel?

Because Israel controls all access to the occupied areas. Even if Unrwa is not directly prohibited in Gaza or in other places, it should be difficult to maintain the services. Israel has also exhibited working visa for the international UNRWA employees.

“We are not planning to hire our work,” says Unrwa spokeswoman Tamara Alifai. The implementation of the Knesset legislation would be devastating, warned Unrwa boss Philippe Lazzarini in the UN World Safety Council: “The fate of millions of Palestinians, the ceasefire and the prospects for a political solution that brings permanent peace and security are at stake.” In the Gaza Strip alone, 17,000 medical consultations take place every day.

Does Israel violate the laws of UN regulations and international law?

Yes, it says in an expert opinion from the Swiss Foreign Ministry. As a occupying power, Israel is obliged to ensure the supply of the population in the occupied area with food and medication. Unrwa is the central actor for this and if Israel has work without ensuring an alternative supply, it violates its duties as a occupying power according to the Geneva conventions.

UN General Secretary António Guterres wrote to the Israeli UN ambassador Danny Danon to request the company to hire the company and to leave the premises in East Jerusalem within a few days, was “obviously unreasonable” and “contradict Israel’s international commitments”.

That is unclear. The Israeli government wants a substantive replacement, but so far there is no. “We have conversations with UN civil servants. We offer to find an alternative with other non-governmental organizations with which we want to work-especially with the (UN development program) and,” said Danon in New York. There is no agreement yet. He accused the UN that he had kidnapped the matter.

What options do the other UN aid organizations see?

“The work of the Unrwa is so extensive that no other UN organization can replace it,” says the spokesman for the UN Nothilfebüro Ocha, Jens Laerke. “With more schools, clinics, warehouses, offices and employees than all other UN organizations together, Unrwa is irreplaceable for the survival of civilians.”

dpa

Source: Stern

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